in 1852 and caters for all levels of experience; from competent rowers to complete beginners.
As of academic year 2018–19, the biggest club is the dance club, which stands at 119 members, of which 18 compete at a national level. The club offers 10 types of classes (including ballet, jazz and street) to all its members and six to those on the competition team.
The football club plays at Heworth Green: one team competes under the name York St John University in the York Football League (they are currently in the Premier Division of that league system); their reserve team also feature in Reserve Division A, which is the top reserve league. Its origins date back to 1872 when J. Morton persuaded the Sports Association to take up association football.
The cricket club is probably the oldest club – the first record of cricket being played was in 1848, seven years after the opening of the Training College. The club has strong links with its Old Johns Cricket Association, whose president was ex-student Harry Gration.
The hockey club is one of the biggest clubs within the university, offering 1st and 2nd men's and ladies teams and a mixed team. The men's 1st team are the last ever BUSA National Plate champions, having won the competition in 2008.
The badminton club is also present and represents York St John in BUCS too.
As of 2019, students formed an esports society and teams formed in titles such as, Overwatch, League of Legends, and CSGO.
=== Societies ===
YSJSU houses around 30 different societies ranging from Musical Production, Drama, Geek Society, and course based societies too such as Physiotherapy, Geography, Primary Education and many more. The societies work together on many projects in the year and all have the opportunity to win the title of Society of year at the annual Societies Awards Dinner.
=== Democratic structures ===
As of September 2016, the Students' Union moved to a new democratic structure in order to further student engagement with the Union. The Students' Union is led by a student executive …
