Club Sports
Think you’ve got more game than Onterrio Smith against a Washington State defense? Have moves that would make Pelé bow down?
If so, there’s a place for you in Oregon athletics. The EMU Club Sports department is a student-run athletic program that lets all students get off their seats and into the action of more than 35 different sports.
The Club Sports program is a competitive, recreational outlet for students seeking to participate in an array of sports. It offers mainstream sports such as baseball, rugby, soccer and volleyball; up-and-coming sports such as lacrosse, crew, ice hockey and ultimate frisbee; and highly skill-specific sports like equestrian, karate, sailing and snowboarding.
Club Sports Coordinator Sandy Vaughn encouraged students of all abilities to get involved with the program.
“If you are looking for a fresh start, learning a new sport or becoming engaged in a sport you are continuing from high school, Club Sports allows you to explore new interests as well as continue old interests,” Vaughn said.
Besides giving non-varsity athletes the chance to prove that their game is even better than their talk, Vaughn said the athletes get to stay in shape and hang around others who share the same passion and interest. Also, Club Sports athletes get to represent Oregon and become recognized as both students and athletes.
Travel is involved in most Club Sports, and athletes take their game and their enthusiasm to many different locations. Whether traveling to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies in a rugby match or traveling up Interstate 5 to Portland to showcase their juggling talent at area high schools, athletes get the opportunity to get outside of the Eugene area.
Club Sports time commitments vary, with some teams meeting weekly while others practice up to three hours daily. Even the most competitive Club Sports teams seek to add members, but certain club sports are more difficult to break into than others.
“Women’s volleyball, dance team, ice hockey and the ski-team are four teams that have a challenge in selecting their teams,” Vaughn said. “Teams do have tryouts that would involve possibly making cuts. Some clubs are naturally bigger and have broader memberships, (and) from that membership you have a team. Some do not cut, but the competitive clubs may choose a team based on skill level.”
Some Club Sports have come into their own lately with successful programs. Women’s volleyball captured the Club Sports title for the second consecutive year in 2002, and water polo qualified for nationals along with women’s ultimate frisbee.
“We also have a couple of outstanding cyclists, (and) men’s rugby does well,” Vaughn said. “Men’s lacrosse is the up-and-coming club sport — members-wise. It is spreading up and down the West Coast and is a very competitive sport.”
To learn more about Club Sports programs, teams will hold an open house where those interested can find out information and meet with coordinators of each team. The open house will be held Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. in the EMU Amphitheater. In the event of a baseball-style rain delay, the meeting could be moved to the EMU Fir Room.
“We expect club members to be committed to the team, if you want to be involved in a fun, group activity that allows you to represent the University of Oregon, you will find it at Club Sports,” Vaughn said.
Scott Archer is a freelance writer for the Emerald.