Club sports aren’t just for the people who couldn’t play varsity, too much of people’s surprise they are quite competitive, and selective. They’re a great way to continue playing sports without having a huge commitment.
Teams are generally student-run teams that compete in intercollegiate play. Most club sports teams are practicing and competing about three times a week during their season, and usually once a week out of season. Since there aren’t typically coaches the pressures that may be caused by coaches and the stakes of a varsity sport are lowered.
Club sports members have the opportunity to become an officer of their team. This includes positions such as, president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. Jill Palmeri, Vice President of club softball at SUNY Cortland is glad she went the club route.
“A club team lets you play the sport you love without any pressure,” said Palmeri. “I have developed many skills through being the vice president that will help me with future careers.”
Club officers typically run practices and they also handle the logistics for their team, like costs, travel arrangements, game, and practice scheduling, and more. Reilly Mangano, a senior Vice President of women’s club lacrosse at Cortland, is glad she gets the opportunity to assist in leading her team.
“I’ve grown a lot becoming a club officer,” said Mangano. “I lead practices and plan out travel itinerates and assist my other officers in their duties. This position has taught me invaluable leadership and organizational skills.”
Club sports also allow for travel opportunities throughout the season. This past fall, the club softball team attended a National Club Softball Association (NCSA) tournament in Delaware where they placed in third out of the twelve teams that attended. The women’s club lacrosse team stayed a night in Buffalo to compete against the University of Buffalo. This upcoming spring break the club softball and club baseball are heading down to Panama City Beach for exhibition games in the warm weather before their seasons are underway.
To be able to compete and have the money for the team to travel club teams must fundraise their own money. It is also a requirement that teams do some sort of community service throughout the year. It allows players to become more independent because they have to find these opportunities and figure out how to spend the club’s money.
Just like varsity sports, club teams also can compete at the national level, if they rank high enough in the standings. For example, the club softball world series is held in Georgia, women’s club lacrosse nationals are held in Texas, and club baseball world series is held in Illinois. Last year the Cortland women’s club basketball team were the only DIII team to make it to their nationals in Erie, Pennsylvania.
Jace Deiulio, a senior member of the club baseball team here, played both at a varsity level and a club level. He is much happier with playing on a club team.
“I played DII baseball before transferring to Cortland and playing on the club team here,” said Deiulio. “If given the choice again I would always pick playing club. I can enjoy myself, focus on school and not have to stress about sports 24/7.”
Joining a club team is a way to represent your school at an athletic level, become involved on campus, and continue staying active.
“Clubs are way less stressful and more relaxed. It’s still a competitive organization, and we can still participate in big events like Delaware and Florida,” said Avery Copeland, Treasurer of club softball. “I found my best friends joining club softball and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”