The Best Things About Club Sports

By Kailey Walters on February 28, 2017

pexels.com

Upon graduating from high school, many high school athletes may be uncertain about what their athletic future in college will look like. Some receive scholarships to compete on prestigious college sports teams and go on to follow daily rigorous practice schedules in between classes, homework, and studying.

However, a majority of high school athletes enter college as non-athletes. For them, not being part of a competitive sports team for the first time can be disorienting and a little disappointing.

Having been on my high school swim team for four years in a row, I was excited and hopeful that I might get a chance to swim for Stony Brook University. Yet, when I started college, I was told that the pool was under renovation and that no swim team had existed for the past several years. Dumbfounded, I didn’t know where to turn.

pexels.com

That was when I discovered the running club. As a swimmer, I had been somewhat of a casual runner and occasionally enjoyed going for runs in good weather. So when I realized I had no place to swim, I decided I might as well run.

Little did I know that the club team I originally joined as a replacement for swim team would become an irreplaceable family of runners. Now that I am a sophomore and have been part of the Stony Brook running club for the past year and a half, I can say that some of my best college memories are with my club teammates. Along the way, I also discovered some practical merits of being part of a club team.

pexels.com

Firstly, club sports aren’t as rigorous as the NCAA. For many former high school athletes, college Division I, II, or III sports might be too challenging or demanding. The transition from a high school sports team, where perhaps most people make tryouts, to a rigorous college team, where every athlete is seemingly the best of the best, is often too large of a step to take.

Consequently, for athletes who are still looking to stick to their sport and want to compete, just not on the demanding college level, club sports are a great alternative. Also, instead of being held every day, or almost every day, practices for club teams are usually only several times a week and so are not as time-consuming. The practices themselves are typically not as difficult either, as they allow flexibility for members’ varying skill levels and create a fun, casual atmosphere.

However, that’s not to say all club teams are completely relaxed. I have met some incredibly talented runners in my club who are quite passionate about running. They work hard surrounded by people who will push them to get faster but don’t rely on a coach or strict practice schedules and workouts.

Having never considered myself a competitive runner before, I have now found the joy and freedom in running with a group of people who all want to become better runners in a focused, yet not so strict, fun environment, especially because we are all working to improve at something we love.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format