WELCOME TO SESSA
The Association was formed in 1961. Twelve Colleges were involved, and the name of the Association was originally Southern England Technical Colleges Sports Association, known as SEETECH. As the Association has developed over the last 48 years, the types of organisation in membership changed and as some of the bigger Colleges, as well as Colleges of Education and Art & Design, merged, became Polytechnics and then Universities, and the new institutions of FE developed, the Association changed its name in 1991 to Southern England Students Sports Association or SESSA.
WE ARE HAPPY TO ACCEPT MEMBERS FROM SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE VIth FORMS AND VIth FORM COLLEGES
As the name implies the area covered by SESSA is Southern England, and is broadly defined as London and the Home Counties, but we have and indeed still do accept members from Hampshire, Northamptonshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire - in fact anywhere within a reasonable travelling distance of other members.
SESSA/SEETECH has always been independent and financially self-supporting, although we will happily co-operate with other student sports associations to enable our members to play sport which is the main objective. All the events are managed by volunteer Organisers from amongst the membership.
Competitions
SESSA organises leagues, championships, cup competitions, knock-outs and one-day events in any sport where we can firstly find an organiser, and secondly, enough members wish to participate. We are always open to offers for new events, and the portfolio has changed dramatically throughout SESSA’s history.
The main purpose of SESSA is to provide Wednesday afternoon sport in all its forms for its members. We do even run one Sunday competition (mixed hockey) because the demand is there for people who wish to play at weekends too. Although we have often had county, national and international standard players , overall we are not particularly interested in elite competitions – we leave that to the national associations. We exist to enable as many people as possible to participate, and to play as much sport as we can provide. Accordingly, for instance, all Cup competitions have a Plate for first round losers, and a Bowl and a Spoon. So the entry fee will always guarantee you at least four fixtures.
Everyone associated with student sport welcomes the concept of an Association which caters, in the one organisation, for all students in any form of post-16 education, and we believe ourselves to be the only organisation in the country which does this. It is, furthermore, an Association in which the balance of power is with the student as a study of its very simple constitution indicates. It is, however, the hard work and experience of the professional sports staff of member colleges who organise its many competitions on a purely voluntary basis which gives it is greatest strength.
Obviously, all affiliated colleges are eligible to enter all SESSA competitions and pay the normal fee. A school/college not affiliated to SESSA is, however, entitled to enter individual events by paying four times the entry fee. This is to encourage smaller institutions who may only be able to enter one or two competitions, or to compete in at least some events. It is calculated that to enter four or more events then it is worth affiliating.
We have recently refined this rule further to enable Colleges who are not members of SESSA to enter individual Cup competitions at a reduced fee.
Summary
SESSA is autonomous and self-supporting; it caters for all types of post-16 education institutions; it is a large organisation which runs on a voluntary basis; its membership provisions encourage participation by all.
SESSA is a unique organisation, which we hope you will join. For complete information on affiliation, fees, events etc please visit the website at Sessa.ac.uk.