Bringing together art and athletic ability, Oregon’s Club dance team has made its mark on the national scene.
Thirteen members of Oregon’s dance team traveled to Daytona Beach, Fla., to participate in the National Collegiate Dance Championships on April 2 through 4. The preliminary round of the tournament was held in Peabody Auditorium, while the finals were at the Band Shell, located on Daytona Beach.
Oregon finished 15th in the nation, and team members said they felt confident about the performance.
“We were excited about the performance, and I think we are all proud of how we competed as a team and how much work we put into it,” co-captain Robin Badstubner said.
Leading up to the event, the team practiced six hours a week. The Ducks stayed in Eugene during spring break to perfect the routine.
“We stayed here during break and practiced in the Rec Center,” Badstubner said. “We spent over 35 hours in just one week preparing for Florida.”
The Ducks performed a routine that “was a little edgier” than their normal style, Badstubner said.
“We tried to use music and movements that made us really want to go out there and dance,” Badstubner said.
Oregon began to plan for nationals in the fall. The team had to submit a video entry by Dec. 1 to qualify for the championships, she said.

A breezy weekend
Windy weather and tough competition are what Oregon’s Club sailing team searched for last weekend when the team traveled to San Francisco to compete in the St. Francis Intersectional.
The Stanford-hosted event was a chance for Oregon to sail at a high-class venue against top West Coast schools.
Sailing coordinator George Yioulos said winds were blowing 15-20 knots, “supplying perfect wind for the participants who had views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island.”
“It was cold, it was windy, it was foggy, there was tons of chop and it was … awesome,” Yioulos said.
In preparation for the St. Francis Intersectional, Oregon’s Club sailing team hosted a clinic at Fern Ridge Reservoir on April 3 through 4. Blaine Pedlow, the sailing coach at California, came for the event and ran the clinic for 20 boats. The Ducks took advantage of having a coach nearby and used the weekend to fine tune their skills for the St. Francis Intersectional.

One last chance
In order for Oregon’s Club baseball team to begin its trek to Florida to compete in the National Club Baseball Association World Series, it must beat Western Washington on May 1 and 2 in Bellingham, Wash.
The Ducks improved their record to 14-4 last weekend, beating Central Oregon Community College in two games at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer.
The Ducks opened Saturday with a win, beating Central Oregon, 8-5. Oregon lost its second game of the first day, 15-6, putting itself in a must-win situation on Sunday. The Ducks responded with a 4-2 win Sunday, giving them a chance to move into first with wins against Western Washington.
“This last series with Western Washington will be huge,” catcher Jon Loomis said, adding that it will decide whether they have a chance at a World Series berth.