The greatest learning experiences often occur outside the classroom. This has often proven true for the coaches, coordinators and athletes affiliated with Oregon’s Club Sports program.
“Being involved in a Club sport is a huge plus,” Club Sports Director Sandy Vaughn said. “There are just so many opportunities to do so many different things.”
Club Sports is a co-ed, recreational and competitive program that endorses 40 different sports. To cater to a diversity of interests, Club Sports offers a wide range of programs, including traditional university sports, such as soccer, baseball and volleyball. They also offer more specialized sports like crew, sailing and racquetball.
Not only do club sports provide a learning atmosphere outside the classroom, but they are also a
middle ground between intramural athletics and intercollegiate, Division I programs.
Students are in charge of organizing and structuring each program. This gives them a chance to take on administrative and coaching duties while participating in the sport themselves.
“I know I am going to learn a lot more than just soccer skills and tactics this year,” women’s club soccer coach and player Tracy Vanderzanden said. “I’m for sure going to learn about people and how to not only work with them but how to manage the team in an organized and fair manner.”
Each individual sport varies on time commitments, fees and roster openings. Although some sports hold tryouts, other sports add students to their roster throughout the year. The majority of Club teams do a fair amount of traveling, as teams often participate in leagues that include schools outside Oregon.
A number of Club teams travel outside the West Coast, especially the teams that receive national attention.
Last spring, Oregon’s Club baseball team traveled to the NCBA World Series in Bradenton, Fla., and the men’s and women’s Club Lacrosse teams made their first appearances at the national championships in St. Louis.
Information about specific Clubs can be found on Oregon’s official Club Sports Web site, darkwing.uoregon.edu/~clbsprts. Some teams have extensive Web sites with pictures, schedules, rosters and information about their specific league while other teams have the basic information about contact names and when the team meets.
Even though the Club program offers a large variety of sports, Vaughn said there are a handful of sports
Oregon does not offer. Vaughn cites swimming as a “popular sport” that has the potential to become a program in the near future.
“I have never had so much interest in swimming before,” Vaughn said. “It looks like there might be quite an effort to put together a swimming club this year.”
Club Sports will hold its annual open house on Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. in the EMU Fir Room. A coordinator from each club will attend the open house and have materials and sign-up sheets for those interested in learning more about the programs offered.
“The majority of our Clubs have plenty of spots for new students,” Vaughn said. “Whether students want to continue a sport they have been active in or if they want to try something new, we probably have something for them.”

Kirsten McEwen is a freelance
reporter for the Emerald.