■ Club Sports offers
students the opportunity
to play competitively at a
level different than NCAA
By Shantell Rice
for the Emerald
The Oregon Club Sports pro
gram is helping to redefine the
role of the athlete in Eugene.
In high school, many of us had
dreams of being NCAA athletes as
we watched our teammates pin
their opponents in less than thirty
seconds or witnessed them shoot
a basket from half-court to win
the game, as we sat on the bench.
Many of us dreamed of hitting
the game-winning home run in
the bottom of the ninth inning or
kicking the winning field goal,
but as soon as high school was
over, those visions — or halluci
nations, perhaps — died tragical
ly. Or have they?
There’s a place where students
can go and revive those dreams.
A place where limits are tested
and you’re pushed until you’re
beyond the pain. It’s now time to
dig out those dreams that you’ve
buried, dust off your bats, lace up
your spikes or inflate those bas
ketballs.
Yes, the definition of an athlete
has been broadened.
Club Sports offers a place for
students who aren’t competing
on the NCAA level to compete
and a place where those sports
that aren’t NCAA competitive
can be played.
“It’s below intercollegiate ath
letics but above intermurals,”
said Genny Auyeung, the
women’s water polo coordinator.
Club Sports is a place where
students often gain a sense of be
longing and a sense of being part
of something bigger than them
selves.
Sandy Vaughn, who has been
the coordinator of Club Sports for
the last 26 years, said students
can gain many things from being
involved with the program be
cause they can get the feeling of
teamwork.
“It’s the one place outside the
classroom where students feel
bonded to the University,”
Vaughn said.
Vaughn added that she has per
haps one of the best jobs on cam
pus, working directly with stu
dents, assisting them in gaining
the skills they need to run their
individual programs. She said
she watches them as they commit
themselves to all aspects of the
program, from being a team play
er to being a team manager.
The unique thing about Club
Sports is that students are respon
sible for running their own club.
They not only participate in their
sport, but they also plan team
competitions, fundraising events
and make the travel arrange
ments. Students learn how to be
accountable to one another.
“As a coordinator,” said Ben
Gottlieb, the men’s water polo
captain, coordinator and coach, “I
basically set how the season will
go, where the competitions are
and when we practice.”
Getting involved in Club Sports
is also a great way to not only live
out your athletic potential, but
also build organizational skills
Photos by Kevin Calame Emerald
Andy Ripps (above) practices his ultimate frisbee flick, while Joe Kleffner (below) reaches for an airborne disc. Kleffner is the
club’s nominee for the Callahan Award, ultimate frisbee’s equivalent to college football’s Heisman Trophy.
ii I kind of feel like a mom to my team.
The main thing is to be organized. Make
sure that everyone has their stuff together.
Genny Auyeung
women’s water polo coordinator 1
that will help in all areas of life.
“I kind of feel like a mom to my
team,” said Auyeung. “The main
thing is to be organized. Make
sure everyone has their stuff to
gether.”
Another advantage to being in
volved in a club, these coordina
tors said, is the people you will
meet. There are some co-ed divi
sions within clubs, although that
varies depending on the sport.
But oftentimes, the women’s and
men’s teams, although separate,
will travel together to competi
tions, so the opportunities for life
long friendships on and off the
field are endless.
Club Sports allows for anyone
to be on a team, but some sports
require try-outs because of a lim
ited amount of spots on the team.
Spring term is a great time to get
out and play, especially with peo
ple who do all the hard work be
cause they love the sport.
008739
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