The beginning of a new academic quarter brings out a multitude of emotions for me. I feel excited for an easy syllabus week, seeing my roommates and friends, and being a short bike ride away from the beach.
However, this time also makes me feel anxious in some ways. I worry about configuring a new schedule, finding space in the library, and especially about surviving the bike ride through campus.
At the start of last quarter, these mixed emotions made me long for a place to get my stress out, and maybe find some consistency; I found that the perfect place to do that was on a club sports team — cheerleading in particular.
While I am a huge advocate for club sports because of my own experience, I acknowledge they are not for everyone, so to help alleviate the chaos characteristic of the new quarter, I would like to help you out a bit by compiling a list of things you should keep in mind when deciding whether or not to join a club sports team, with the hope of making the beginning of this chilly quarter just a bit easier to navigate.
Consider Your Major
When I began cheerleading last quarter I was a Psychology and Brain Sciences major, which means I was on that STEM major grind 24/7. I was taking chemistry and math courses, and I would spend the majority of my day doing practice problems.
For cheerleading, I had mandatory weight lifting practices on top of regular practices, which ended at 10 p.m., and I often had weekend practices that lasted anywhere from two to five hours, so I found myself crunched for time, sleep deprived, and generally zombie-like in appearance.
Despite the physical challenge and time commitment, I loved cheerleading… but I did not like my major, so I found that by changing my academic path this quarter to taking more humanities-based classes, I have found both more fulfilling coursework and more time to do the things I love — like cheerleading!
If you are a STEM major, I would advise asking coaches on prospective teams when their practice times are, including any weight-lifting practices and weekend commitments, and seeing if you could fit those times into your schedule. There is certainly a way to balance heavy coursework and a club sport, but you will need to tap into your time management skills.
What Are You Looking For?
Club sports are a fantastic way to make friends and stay active, but they do require a substantial amount of physical activity.
If you’re looking to make friends and build meaningful relationships, but do not necessarily want to do it in a highly physical or competitive environment, you might want to consider joining a social organization instead of a sports team.
While sports practices are a great place to form meaningful relationships (which might result from trauma bonding… potentially), they are taken seriously and it’s important you’re there to contribute your best effort for the team.
However, if you are looking for something active, or especially if you are looking to gain some muscle, I would fully recommend joining a club sport.
Does Experience Matter?
Sometimes people are reluctant to join a club sport because they’re afraid they don’t have enough experience. I am happy to say that club sports at UCSB are open to all ability levels, though some sports do have a tryout process.
The beauty of club sports is that they fall right in between intercollegiate athletics and intramural sports in terms of exclusivity. However, while anyone can join, there is still a strong level of commitment required.
Can You Afford It?
Club sports can also be expensive. The university charges fees associated with being a member on the team, there are often fees charged to cover the costs of social events, and many teams have competitions or tournaments that require travel, which can be financially difficult to navigate.
Every club sport requires different fees, so it would be in your best interest to investigate the financial commitment expected of you before making any final decisions about joining a team.
Though joining a club sport requires some sacrifice, I’ve found that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. At the end of the day, though, it is a personal choice, and I think it’s useful to know what to expect before it is expected of you.
Whether you find yourself on a club sports team, in a social organization, or doing a plethora of other activities and extracurriculars offered at UCSB, I am sure you will find what works the best for you. This is your quarter!