Hillsdale students are persistent. So when their sport of choice isn’t offered in the varsity variety, they start a club.
The college now offers more club sports opportunities than ever before, including men’s and women’s soccer, rowing, co-ed tennis, co-ed swim, men’s rugby, and men’s volleyball. While some of the teams just finished hosting tryouts and others are brand new and still looking for athletes, all of the clubs are gearing up for the upcoming season.
Brad Kocher, Director of Recreational Sports, said club sports have tremendous benefits to campus.
“Club sports give students the opportunity to still have that competitive opportunity, but without quite the time commitment of a varsity sport,” Kocher said. “It is a nice medium.”
The newest of these teams is the women’s rowing club. Only its second year as an official club, the team is looking to help familiarize new rowers with the sport in a stress free environment.
“It’s a really unique sport, and it has such a unique mentality,” senior Lily Ebbott-Burg said. “There is no better time than college to experience something like crew. It’s a really cool community to be a part of.” Ebbott-Berg has high hopes for the future.
“If someday it could be a varsity sport, that would be awesome, but right now I just want people to be able to enjoy the sport I love,” she said.
While rowing is still in its infancy, plenty of other clubs have been around for some time, such as the rugby team.
Rugby, a sport that is not understood by the majority of Americans but is adored around the world, delivers a constant stream of action for the players and spectators.
“Imagine the constant play of soccer, but with the intensity of American football. There is a lot of cardio, but also a lot of hitting,” sophomore captain Thomas Novelly explained. “So to be a rugby player, you have to be fast, but you also have to be able to take a hit.”
The team is looking forward to showing the game to the rest of campus, Novelly said.
“This year we really wanted to build up a lot of hype for it, and to make it something it hasn’t been before. We are one of the oldest clubs on campus, but also very under-developed,” Novelly said. “Last year we had 10 people in the stands, this year we are aiming to have a hundred. If you think college football is fun, come watch college rugby.”
You can catch the rugby men in action on Saturday, Sept. 20, time TBA.
If rugby doesn’t interest you, there are still plenty of other options. The men’s club volleyball team will be competing in their third season this year.
“Every single guy I have ever played volleyball with has grown to love it. It is a fantastic combination of a team sport and an individual sport,” President of the club senior Trent Baer said.
While the team is very competitive, they do not require any previous experience.
“We have guys that were four sport athletes in high school, but also guys that have never played an organized sport. All we ask for is that you put forth effort, no matter your level of skill, we find a spot for everyone,” Baer said.
Perhaps some of the most intense club programs on campus are the men’s and women’s soccer clubs.
While club sports are a recreational activity, both of these teams are striving to push it to the next level.
“We are working really hard to bring it up a notch. We just got a new coach [Andrew Hill] who’s brilliant, and he has helped us a lot,”said Sam Grinis, sophomore on the men’s soccer team.
Hill is in his second year as the head coach. Hill previously played collegiate soccer at Spring Arbor, and for semi-pro Lansing United.
The women play in the Northern Division of the Women’s Midwest Alliance Soccer Conference, and the men compete in the College Club League.
Both the men and women are in action this Saturday at home. The men will play at 11 a.m. and the women at 4 p.m.
Many of the club seasons are underway, and each would appreciate student support at their home competitions.
Anybody interested in joining an existing club, or hoping to start their own, is encouraged to contact Brad Kocher.
