Academic Sports Association
Encyclopedia
Academic Sports Association (Polish: Akademicki Związek Sportowy, AZS) is a mass students’ sport organization, one of the biggest sports associations in Poland. Its main objectives are development of physical education, promotion of healthy lifestyle and physical activities among Polish youth.
Currently, AZS has around 50 000 members, students of around 200 colleges across Poland. Students, associated with the organization, can practice various kinds of sports as amateurs and as professionals. AZS sportspersons make up around 25% of members of Polish national teams, they are represented in all major sports events across the world, including the Olympic Games
.
of the Jagiellonian University
in Kraków
. A student of medicine of the Jagiellonian University, Waclaw Majewski, became first director of the association.
In the Second Polish Republic
, AZS quickly developed into a mass organization, present in all Polish major urban areas. Number of it branches grew, and by 1939, there were seven of them:
In the 1930s, the AZS had around 3 000 members, may of whom were renowned on the international stage. Among most famous AZS's sportspersons of the interbellum period, there were Halina Konopacka
, Roger Verey
, Jerzy Ustupski
, Wladyslaw Segda and Adam Papee
. Most popular sports, practiced by members of the organization, were tourism, rowing, track and field, tennis, fencing and skiing.
Quick growth of the organization made it necessary to create central office of the AZS, which would coordinate activities of all local branches. It was created on March 18–19, 1923 in Warsaw, during a meeting of all representatives. First director of the central office was Stefan Grodzki.
, Łódź, Gliwice
, Wrocław and Częstochowa
. Next branches were opened almost every year:
. It has three sports centers - in Wilkasy, in Gorki Zachodnie near Gdańsk and in Zieleniec. It carries out activities in almost all kinds of sports.
Currently, in the Polish Volleyball League
, there are:
In the Polish Women's-Volleyball League, there is one team, AZS AWF Poznań
.
In the Men's Basketball League, there is AZS Gaz Ziemny Koszalin.
In the Men's Handball League, there is AZS AWF Gdańsk.
Currently, AZS has around 50 000 members, students of around 200 colleges across Poland. Students, associated with the organization, can practice various kinds of sports as amateurs and as professionals. AZS sportspersons make up around 25% of members of Polish national teams, they are represented in all major sports events across the world, including the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
Early days
Akademicki Zwiàzek Sportowy was founded on May 15, 1909, during a meeting of students, which took place in Collegium NovumCollegium Novum
The Collegium Novum is the Neo-Gothic main building of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, built in 1873-1887. Based on a design by architect Feliks Księżarski to match the oldest building of the University, it was opened for the 500th anniversary of the University's foundation...
of the Jagiellonian University
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
. A student of medicine of the Jagiellonian University, Waclaw Majewski, became first director of the association.
In the Second Polish Republic
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
, AZS quickly developed into a mass organization, present in all Polish major urban areas. Number of it branches grew, and by 1939, there were seven of them:
- since 1918 in WarsawWarsawWarsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, - since 1919 in PoznańPoznanPoznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, - since 1921 in Wilno and GdańskGdanskGdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, - since 1922 in Lwów and LublinLublinLublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
.
In the 1930s, the AZS had around 3 000 members, may of whom were renowned on the international stage. Among most famous AZS's sportspersons of the interbellum period, there were Halina Konopacka
Halina Konopacka
Halina Konopacka , famous athlete, first Polish Olympic Champion . She took part in the Olympic Games in Amsterdam, where she won a gold medal in discus throw breaking her own world record...
, Roger Verey
Roger Verey
Roger Roland Verey was a Polish rower who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was born in Lausanne, Switzerland and died in Kraków....
, Jerzy Ustupski
Jerzy Ustupski
Jerzy Ustupski was a Polish rower who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was born in Zakopane and died in Zakopane....
, Wladyslaw Segda and Adam Papee
Adam Papée
Adam Stanisław Papée was a Polish fencing champion, one of pioneers of fencing in Poland....
. Most popular sports, practiced by members of the organization, were tourism, rowing, track and field, tennis, fencing and skiing.
Quick growth of the organization made it necessary to create central office of the AZS, which would coordinate activities of all local branches. It was created on March 18–19, 1923 in Warsaw, during a meeting of all representatives. First director of the central office was Stefan Grodzki.
After World War II
As soon as the war was over, AZS recreated its activities, and its main office was moved to Kraków. New branches were opened in all academic centers of Poland. In 1945, AZS became active in colleges and universities in KatowiceKatowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, Łódź, Gliwice
Gliwice
Gliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
, Wrocław and Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
. Next branches were opened almost every year:
- 1946 - ToruńTorunToruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
, SzczecinSzczecinSzczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
, - 1949 Zabrze-RokitnicaZabrzeZabrze is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union is a metropolis with a population of around 2 million...
, - 1950- OlsztynOlsztynOlsztyn is a city in northeastern Poland, on the Łyna River. Olsztyn has been the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. It was previously in the Olsztyn Voivodeship...
, Białystok, - 1955 - OpoleOpoleOpole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County...
, - 1963 - RzeszówRzeszówRzeszów is a city in southeastern Poland with a population of 179,455 in 2010. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River, in the heartland of the Sandomierska Valley...
, - 1965 - Bydgoszcz,
- 1966 - Zielona GóraZielona GóraZielona Góra is a city in Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland, with 117,557 inhabitants within the city limits and 294,000 inhabitants within the metropolitan area, including three neighbouring counties ....
, - 1968 - KoszalinKoszalinKoszalin ; is the largest city of Middle Pomerania in north-western Poland. It is located 12 km south of the Baltic Sea coast. Koszalin is also a county-status city and capital of Koszalin County of West Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999...
, - 1969 - KielceKielceKielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship...
, Płock, RadomRadomRadom is a city in central Poland with 223,397 inhabitants . It is located on the Mleczna River in the Masovian Voivodeship , having previously been the capital of Radom Voivodeship ; 100 km south of Poland's capital, Warsaw.It is home to the biennial Radom Air Show, the largest and...
, SiedlceSiedlceSiedlce ) is a city in eastern Poland with 77,392 inhabitants . Situated in the Masovian Voivodeship , previously the city was the capital of a separate Siedlce Voivodeship ....
, Słupsk, - 1970s - Bielsko-BiałaBielsko-Biała-Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry...
, Gorzów WielkopolskiGorzów WielkopolskiGorzów Wielkopolski is a city in western Poland, on the Warta river. It is the biggest city in the Lubusz Voivodeship with 125,149 inhabitants...
, CieszynCieszynCieszyn is a border-town and the seat of Cieszyn County, Silesian Voivodeship, southern Poland. It has 36,109 inhabitants . Cieszyn lies on the Olza River, a tributary of the Oder river, opposite Český Těšín....
.
Currently
Academic Sports Association is currently the most popular students organization in Poland. According to its official webpage, it has 318 clubs, active at almost all Polish colleges and universities, both private and public. It must be noted that at one school, there can be only one AZS organization. As for September 30, 2007, it had more than 50 000 members. Its sportspeople have won numerous medals during the biggest sporting events in the world, including the Olympic GamesOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. It has three sports centers - in Wilkasy, in Gorki Zachodnie near Gdańsk and in Zieleniec. It carries out activities in almost all kinds of sports.
Clubs
Sports teams, affiliated with AZS, are numerous in top Polish leagues in such sports as volleyball and basketball.Currently, in the Polish Volleyball League
Polish Volleyball League
The Polish Volleyball League , is the highest level of men's volleyball in Poland, a professional league competition for volleyball clubs located in this country. It is overseen by Profesjonalna Liga Piłki Siatkowej S.A. . It is currently a 10 team league that plays a 18 game schedule from...
, there are:
- AZS UWM Olsztyn
- AZS Częstochowa
- AZS Politechnika WarszawaAZS Politechnika WarszawaAZS Politechnika Warszawska is a Polish volleyball team, based in Warsaw, playing in Polish Volleyball League .-See also:* Volleyball in Poland* Sports in Poland...
- AZS Resovia RzeszówResovia RzeszówResovia Rzeszow is a Polish sports club, based in Rzeszów, Poland.-Club names:* Cywilno Wojskowy Klub Sportowy Resovia* Fusion with KS Wisłok Rzeszów to Ogniwo Rzeszów* CWKS Resovia...
.
In the Polish Women's-Volleyball League, there is one team, AZS AWF Poznań
AZS AWF Poznan
AZS AWF Poznań is a Polish women's volleyball team based in Poznań and playing in the Polish Seria A Women's Volleyball League...
.
In the Men's Basketball League, there is AZS Gaz Ziemny Koszalin.
In the Men's Handball League, there is AZS AWF Gdańsk.
Olympic gold medalists from AZS
- Waldemar BaszanowskiWaldemar BaszanowskiWaldemar Romuald Baszanowski , was a Polish weightlifter. He took part in four Olympic Games ....
- AZS AWF Warszawa, - Leszek BlanikLeszek BlanikLeszek Blanik is a Polish gymnast, World and Olympic champion in vault. He was the first to perform a handspring double front vault in piked position which now has been named after him.-Olympics:...
- AZS Gdańsk, - Ryszard BosekRyszard BosekRyszard Bosek is a former volleyball player from Poland, who was a member of the Poland Men's National Team that won the gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. In 2000, Ryszard Bosek became the head coach of Poland national team...
- AZS Warszawa, - Marek DabrowskiMarek DąbrowskiMarek Dąbrowski is a Polish fencer. He won a gold medal in the team foil event at the 1972 Summer Olympics.-References:...
- AZS Warszawa, - Arkadiusz GodelArkadiusz GodelArkadiusz Godel is a Polish fencer. He won a gold medal in the team foil event at the 1972 Summer Olympics. He also holds a law degree from the University of Warsaw.-References:...
- AZS Lublin, - Sylwia Gruchała - AZS Gdańsk,
- Otylia JędrzejczakOtylia JedrzejczakOtylia Jędrzejczak is a Polish swimmer. She is the Olympic champion from Athens 2004 in the 200 metre butterfly. She finished 4th in this event in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She also swam in a third Olympiad, at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. In Athens 2004 she also silvered in...
- AZS AWF Warszawa, - Robert KorzeniowskiRobert KorzeniowskiRobert Korzeniowski is a former Polish racewalker. He has won four gold medals at the Summer Olympics and three at world championships....
- AZS AWF Katowice, - Tomasz MajewskiTomasz MajewskiTomasz Majewski is a Polish Olympic gold medalist shot putter. He is 204 cm tall and weighs 140 kg ....
- AZS AWF Warszawa, - Zbigniew ZarzyckiZbigniew ZarzyckiZbigniew Zarzycki is a Polish former volleyball player who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics, in the 1972 Summer Olympics, and in the 1976 Summer Olympics.He was born in Lębork....
- AZS AWF Warszawa, - Szymon Ziółkowski - AZS Poznań.