Key Features

The geographical area covered by SESSA is broadly defined as London and the Home Counties, but SESSA does attract membership from Hampshire, Northamptonshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire – anywhere within a reasonable travelling distance of other members.

SESSA focuses on competitive participation – standards can be high (national/international standard) but there are no minimal standards for entry to championships or leagues. Wherever possible we try to match teams into competitive leagues.

SESSA aims to enable as many people as possible to participate, one of the unique features of SESSA Cup competitions is to have a plate for first round losers, and a Bowl and a Spoon competition, so a team entry fee will always guarantee a team at least four fixtures.

SESSA is independent and financially self- supporting, (affiliation and competition fees are used to cover the costs of staging events).

All SESSA events are managed by volunteer organisers from amongst the membership, with expenses being covered. SESSA traditionally provides trophies and medals for league and cup winners and runners-up, and for individual winners in championship events.

 

SESSA early days and now

SESSA was initially formed in 1961, with the association of 12 Colleges, committed to working together to provide sports competition for their students. The association has developed over the last 50 years and at its heyday in the late eighties, included some 70 institutions across London and the South East. At the peak of its membership, in the highest participation sport of football, SESSA could claim to have one of the largest league structures within the whole of the Football Association, with some 160 teams across 14 divisions, equating to some 2000 football players in regular participation.
 
Accessible competition
 
Championships generally provide a regional level of competition, which can be a useful stepping- stone for participants, aiming towards National competitions.
 
SESSA provides regional competition, and therefore the travel costs and time spent travelling is generally less than the National associations.
 
SESSA is flexible
 
One-day tournaments can be organised to enable institutions who have difficulty in raising a team on a weekly basis for a league, to participate against other institutions with a reduced travel/time commitment. Modified competition formats are also possible e.g. 10 – a – side rugby.