As senior year rolls around, athletes are met with possibly the last sports season of their lives. While people may find this relieving, others are filled with the dreadful feeling that it’s all over. Athletes who have played their whole lives are met with a big decision: whether they want to play college sports or not.
Collegiate varsity sports have pros and cons that people are forced to consider, the main con being the commitment it takes to play sports at the collegiate level. Whether it’s the early mornings and frequent workouts or the need to miss class to travel to games, student-athletes are required to put in effort and commitment. Club sports is a perfect medium. Wootton alum Nick Jayner plays club baseball and soccer at Salisbury University. “I think club sports is one of the better experiences college has to offer, even if you haven’t played sports before competitively,” Jayner said.
If athletes want to continue fulfilling their athletic career, but don’t want to commit so much of their time and effort into it, club sports is a great option. They are not authorized by the NCAA or NAIA, but remain competitive. Though they still get intense at times, club sports overall is a less stressful and more fun-focused environment. “Club sports will be whatever you want it to be, whether that’s competing for trophies, or to just have fun playing a children’s game with friends,” Jayner said.
Larger schools tend to have multiple teams to offer the most inclusivity possible. This allows for a wide variety of skill levels for the students to be involved and make new friends. “Every single one of my closest friends have come from either club baseball or club soccer. I have camaraderie with a sports team environment that helps make establishing new connections and friendships much easier than alternative ways such as meeting new people in classes or the dining hall,” Jayner said.
Jayner said it is still possible to have a fun college experience outside of a club sport, while varsity tends to take up the majority of students’ time. “All club sports do prioritize education, so you will never be punished for having class during practice times. Outside of that, most people I know in club sports are also able to have part-time jobs, be in frats as well as have time for their hobbies,” Jayner said.
Students have considered playing club for next year. Senior Tyler Siegel is planning on playing club football at Ohio State University. “I decided to play because I love football too much to stop after high school and club gave me the opportunity to play football while still maintaining a good college experience,” Siegel said.
Senior Jack Kerns took a different approach when it comes to collegiate sports. Kerns is committed to play baseball at Frederick Community College. This will provide a more competitive and intense atmosphere, something Kerns is excited for. “I like the competitiveness of a varsity team and the opportunities that could come out of it,” Kerns said.
