More than a hobby: Club Sports at OHIO

Club sports at OHIO are student-run teams that allow students to continue playing the sport they love throughout their college career. Teams host regular practices each week and attend competitions against other universities.

In the past decade, Club Sports has grown from just 20 teams to now 44 teams. Teams vary in size, with some teams, such as Men’s Golf, having upwards of 100 members .

“Once you're on campus, once you're going through this, don't be afraid to get involved. Try something new that maybe you haven't tried before in high school,” says Alex Gebers, assistant director of Competitive Sports and Walter Fieldhouse. 

Students interested in joining can find teams tabling at the annual involvement fair during Welcome Week, or at the Ping Bash, a specific involvement fair for athletic activities. Additionally, contact information for all teams is available on the campus recreation webpage. 

Tryout processes for each team differ, but many teams accept students of all skill levels – even those who have never played the sport they are trying out for. 

Gebers says that one of the primary benefits of joining a club sports team is the opportunity to get involved in the campus community. 

“Coming in as a freshman, you may not know anyone, and by your senior year, you may know a heck of a lot more people and it's all because you joined a club sport," he says. "It's just trying to find your group, if you will--your people."

Ellen Edwards, captain of the Club Softball team agrees with Gebers. She says being in Club Sports has been a crucial part of her college experience. 

"It's really refreshing because I would say it's like the same level of [Division 1) or [Division 3] sports: high intensity, really competitive softball," she says. "But you have the freedom to study when you need because you don't have 5 a.m. weightlifting every day. You get that flexibility. It's just been really great for me to keep playing the sport that I love and develop new friendships."

With over 1,200 members across all teams, Gebers says the club sports community is larger than ever and the popularity continues to rise. With these large numbers, campus and community engagement continues to grow. 

Outside of team practices, many club sports teams host community service events, fundraisers and social activities for their members. 

“We encourage them to get out in the community, give back, do something good,” says Gebers.