The new Fitness Center is currently used by varsity athletes, dancers, faculty, staff and many others. Among the students who use the facilities are club sport athletes.
In addition to the College’s 14 varsity sports teams, at least seven club sports are offered on campus. These non-varsity team sports include rugby, ice hockey, fencing, cycling, cheerleading, sailing and ultimate frisbee.
Club sport teams practice multiple times a week and participate in competitions against other colleges in the northeast. Athletes in these clubs do not receive P.E. credit, while varsity athletes receive two credits per semester.
Ultimate frisbee player Abby Schrang ’12 said that she objects to the policy that excludes her team from receiving P.E. credit.
“We are committed, hard-working players, learning to hone our leadership and organizational skills,” said Abby Schrang ’12.
“A lot of women at this school are extremely committed to their studies and if they take the initiative to be on a sports team, then there should be some added incentive of P.E. credit,” said Caroline Smith ’10.
According to the College Web site, club sports are run through the Department of Physical Education and supervised by Lori Hendricks, associate director of the athletics department.
Hendricks said that varsity athletes mainly report to the athletics department, whereas club sport athletes do not. “Club sports are student organizations with reporting lines to student programs and athletics,” she said.
However, many students who play club sports said they feel they are student-athletes as well.
“We feel that our level of participation is comparable to that of some P.E. classes that students do get at least one credit for,” said Leslie Walbridge ’11, chair of the ice hockey team, in a statement.
“While most one-credit P.E. classes meet twice a week for fifty minutes over six weeks, we meet three times a week for seventy minutes for a total of three months.” The ice hockey team, as well as other club sports teams, must take attendance at practice.
According to Walbridge, the more obvious differences between club sports and varsity athletics are differences in time commitment, holding tryouts, making cuts and competing at certain levels.
“Club sports are more like a ‘club,’ typically a group of students that come together over a common interest in a less competitive manner than varsity sports,” she explained.
President-elect Lynn Pasquerella declined to comment on the issue, but said she would be willing to hear both sides.
“I certainly want to hear the arguments for the proposed exemption, along with the arguments in favor of the current policy. My goal is to have a series of community conversations with a broad range of faculty, students, staff, alumnae trustees and community members,” she said.
Related posts:
- Students upset over lack of PE credit for club sports
- SAAC and Club Sports Council join forces
- Club sports: athletic alternative
- The “ultimate” sport
- Athletes bond over barbecue
