At Ohio University, 31 different club sports provide students with a competitive outlet to play a sport they love. Beyond the game, students involved with club sports find themselves enhancing their college experience and turning teammates into friends.
According to a previous Post report, the competitive sports office distributes around $48,000 between the 31 teams. That means each team receives about $1,500 to strengthen their program.
Ethan Burchard, a senior studying industrial systems and engineering, first started playing volleyball during his sophomore year of high school. During his freshman year of college, Burchard joined men’s club volleyball.
“It has honestly made my time at Ohio University so much better than I could have ever imagined,” Burchard said. “From my freshman year until now, the volleyball team has basically been my family on campus, my home away from home.”
As Burchard explained, when class schedules become difficult to balance with volleyball, upperclassmen are there to lend a hand to newer members of the team.
“If they ever need help, we always try to reach out to them in any way possible,” Burchard said.
Mentorship is a shared experience for many upperclassmen members of club sports teams. Amanda Beerens, a senior studying management and marketing and a member of the women’s club soccer team, is proud to be a role model for underclassmen.
“I’m a senior, so I feel really excited when the younger girls ask me questions or look up to me, and I kind of feel like it’s been a cool atmosphere where I’m able to be a leader and kind of help them and push them in the right direction,” said Beerens.
For most of her childhood and all of high school, Beerens played soccer. It was not until her junior year of college that she decided to revisit the sport. Since becoming a member of the team last year, Beerens said that soccer has kept her active and acted as a way for her to feel connected to OU.
I feel like it's made me more proud to be a student here just because you're rallying for your team and your school,” Beerens said.
Carmen King, a sophomore studying exercise physiology, is also a member of women’s club soccer. King said being part of a team requires working together and rallying around one another.
“Everyone puts in the same work, and we all care about each other,” King said. “We're working with a common goal.”
For King, soccer is a way to escape the everyday chaos of college.
“I'm really happy that it is a way for me to take a break from everything else and be with my friends and do something I love to do,” King said.
Brady Stoker, a sophomore studying computer science and the president of the fencing club, said being involved with a club sport has allowed him to connect with people who share an interest and to distress regularly.
“It's good to have something that you consistently go to each week and relieve stress,” Stoker said.
Members of club sports must connect with teammates during a game or tournament to succeed, but they also frequently find themselves forming meaningful friendships. In return, these students are being immersed in meaningful college experiences.
“Club sports is a huge part of not only my college experience, but I know a bunch of other students’ experiences as well,” said Burchard.
As many student-athletes relayed, team spirit is at the heart of every club sport.
“I think being a teammate is more than just being on a team,” King said. “I think it's about being connected with these people through your organization.”
