At the end of the last sports season of their senior years, many high school athletes consider abandoning their sports forever. Some feel burnt out, exhausted from years of the same activity. Others are discouraged and wish they were going on to compete at the varsity level in college the following year. Regardless of the reasons, at the end of senior year, high school student-athletes often walk out of their last meet or finish their last game never expecting to participate in their sport again. Many feel relieved, but many others feel sad, not ready to let go of the sport they put so much time and effort into. I wish I could tell each and every one of these athletes to try out for a club sport in college. 

Joining a club sport freshman year of college provides a sense of familiarity at a time in which almost nothing is familiar. At the beginning of college, the people you’re surrounded by, the room you live in, the classes you take and even the food you eat are completely different. For many freshmen, college presents the greatest life change thus far. Engaging in a sport you loved in high school will provide that sense of familiarity and consistency that many crave at this time. My first few weeks of college were overwhelming, and at times, I felt a lack of stability because of the new environment. However, when I dove in the pool at the beginning of my first club swim practice, I instantly felt a sense of comfort. It felt like my entire life had changed, but the sport I’d known almost my whole life had remained constant. Club sports give freshmen the gift of direction and stability. 

College grants freshmen the ability to structure their time, unlike high school. All this extra time, paradoxically, can make it difficult for freshmen to complete their homework and study when necessary. Handling such a high amount of freedom can become overwhelming. If students add club sports to their schedules, they will have a higher sense of structure in their daily lives. They’ll know when their practices, games and meets are, which force them to work productively when they have free time. 

The greatest benefit of participating in a club sport in college is, by far, the friendships students form through their teams. These are irreplaceable and often become some of the strongest friendships found in college. After freshman year, I thanked my team for providing me with a family when, for most of us, we were away from our families for the first time. In a year, they had become the people I felt closest to, spent the most time with and who I felt knew me best. Sharing common goals and activities naturally brings people closer to one another, and club sports do exactly this. Joining a club sport will undoubtedly make students’ lives run more smoothly and comfortably freshman year and beyond.