Amherst College has been an athletic powerhouse since 1860. Think about that. That’s 154 years of tradition, with each year pushing the sports here to an even higher level. With 10 NCAA Division III Team Championships and 75 NCAA Individual Titles, Amherst has become well accustomed to the idea of winning. The 27 varsity teams have captured more W’s than I can count, and the teams have produced 31+ Academic All-American selections. All of these statistics are quite impressive, but despite it all, the reason that Amherst athletics are so amazing is not just the winning. The reason that Amherst athletics are so well respected is because just about the entire student body is involved in backing all the different teams we have on campus.
You don’t need to be on a Varsity team in order to be considered an athlete here. Although the term NARP (Non-Athletic Regular Person) is still used from time to time, I think that it’s losing its value. Those who weren’t recruited here for a sport are still some of the best athletes on campus. Whether it be perfecting the flick in intermural fencing or winning an advantage in club rugby, it seems there is a sports team for anyone who wants one on campus. Over 80% of students at Amherst participate on some sort of athletic team- whether it is Varsity, intermural, or club.
It is clear the environment on the Amherst College campus is focused on success. The intense academic pressures that rest on the shoulders of students can be overwhelming, but each student was accepted here because he or she is able to handle it. Although many adjectives come to mind, what I find most admirable about Amherst athletes are how loyal and supportive every member of this community is. However cliché you take this to be, I truly believe that every student at Amherst took the words “there’s no I in team”, preached by their kindgergarden soccer coach countless times, to heart. There is this underlying feeling that we are all just teammates trying to attain the common goal of making it through this crazy ride we call college with as few bumps and bruises as possible.
Next time you’re at a Friday night Volleyball game, or a Tuesday afternoon club soccer game, or a mid-day Saturday football game, look around at who’s in crowd. I’m willing to bet a good amount of money that you’ll find a very decent number of Amherst athletes- from a wide range of teams on this campus- in the stands. The sense of community, unity, and friendship that athletics foster is one of the most amazing parts of Amherst College. And this is the reason why athletics here are much bigger than wins and losses. You might be thinking to yourself that this is all true for your college, and I hope that is the case! But as I write this, and feel an extraordinary sense of pride and honor to be an athlete at Amherst, I must say that the Amherst College Athletic program is the best one around.