September 18, 2024 Club Sports: Going the Distance
When you think of “club sports,” what do you imagine?
Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about club sports is that it is not as legitimate as the popular varsity-level sports that fall under the NCAA: football, basketball, volleyball, to name a few. This couldn’t be further from the truth. UCLA Club Sports athletes often compete nationally and adhere to strict practice and game schedules, much like their Division 1 peers. In fact, Club Sports is a signature program in UCLA Student Affairs that also doubles as a transformative student leadership experience.
Club Sports is student-run and student-led, and hosts a variety of sports teams, from well-known sports like basketball and volleyball to niche sports like archery, equestrian, and even E-sports. Many sports in the program do not fall under the NCAA. For some students, this means that they get to compete at the highest possible collegiate level for their sport. For others, they can participate in a sport while balancing the typical college experience of classes, other clubs, and maybe even a job.
Although there are members who participate recreationally, 38 out of 54 clubs competed for national championships in the 2023-24 academic year. UCLA is home to the 2nd largest club sports program in the country and a wide array of successes. Just this past year, Club Sports boasted 7 national championship winners, Paris 2024 Olympics representation, and countless other all-Americans, medalists, finalists, academic award honorees, and first-team league/all-conference awards.
The program is a part of UCLA Recreation, the largest department in the Student Affairs division of Campus Life. Associate Director for Recreational Sports, Megan Normansell, says her team provides administrative support to ensure each club team has what it needs to meet its fullest potential, including renting field space, staffing an athletic training clinic, coordinating travel and programs, hosting events and competitions, and managing (significant) equipment storage – where do you store 40 giant archery targets? Due to tournament schedules running throughout the year, athletes often need to miss class to attend, so Recreation educators also advocate for their athletes in the classroom. By working with professors and teaching assistants, they ensure athletes are able to thrive – both academically and athletically.
Through blood, sweat, and tears, Club Sports athletes find a second family in their teams. There’s a strong sense of camaraderie within the individual teams, but there’s also a feeling of belonging that permeates through the program itself. The end-of-the-year awards banquet is a show of that: peer-nominated awards across the teams, reflection of program accomplishments, and of course, a night full of fun. Many larger clubs will also host alumni reunion events. Megan likens the Club Sports dynamic to Greek life because the athletes forge lifelong bonds, experience growth together, and develop as leaders.
“They’ll talk about the van ride, the hotel, the pool, the stories of bonding and creating lifelong friendships from being on the same team together,” says Megan.
But all of this success doesn’t come for free. Student-run and student-led also means student-financed – each team fundraises for its own activities, including travel, competition fees, and more. For example, the program has an online merchandise store for their sports. Megan says that it is incredible how successful the Club Sports teams are without formal funding from the University, and the challenge of running their own teams creates opportunities for both professional and personal development. Perhaps even above that, the investment student athletes put into their teams is a hallmark of the love for their sports.
Additionally, UCLA’s Club Sports program faces a unique challenge: the growing number of members contrasts with UCLA’s relatively small campus. Westwood’s dense urban neighborhood means a shortage of green space for recreational activity, and as the program expands in size, the University faces difficulties finding more spaces that athletes can use. Megan’s team has to be creative in solving these problems. Sometimes that’s rigorous schedule management for space rentals, and other times that’s looking into external partners, like rideshare companies or public transportation instead of rental cars. Many clubs practice off-campus due to the nature of their sport. For example, the skiing and snowboarding team drives to Mammoth Mountain every weekend and the ice hockey team practices in Santa Clarita.
Nonetheless, Club Sports looks toward a new academic year with excitement. Pickleball and Olympic weightlifting were recently added to the program roster, and Megan continues to keep an eye on what sports are popular among the student body while balancing available resources for existing clubs. Club Sports is constantly evolving as trends shift. Check out the Club Sports website to keep track of upcoming games and program news.