Confessions Of A College Club Athlete
Start writing a post
Sports

Confessions Of A College Club Athlete

We don't have a scholarship riding on it, but we do it for love.

41
Confessions Of A College Club Athlete
James Stephenson

Anyone who knows me knows that I row. It has been a huge part of my life for the last seven years. I was so happy to find that the college I wanted to attend had a rowing club. Rowing in college is a big time commitment and has its trials, but the rewards of it are great. Unfortunately, rowing is not a ubiquitous sport in the college scene, so its praises usually go unsung. Most other club sports follow the same fate. Being a college student is tough, but being in a competitive collegiate athletic club makes it both more bearable and more difficult.

Like all club athletes, I'm not doing what I do for a scholarship. Participating in a club does not have a direct relation to me being able to stay at college. The university has no reason to set standards for my grades because I want to compete. I'm not limited by these constraints that normally plague big college game athletes. That makes it just a bit easier to join a club sport.

SEE ALSO:My Regrets From My Time As A College Softball Player

However, being a club athlete also has trials and tribulations. We are often underfunded and rely on fundraising and possibly high dues in order to maintain our club. We often do not have enough equipment or equipment of reasonable quality. Practice schedules are liable to change and often attendance is not mandatory. There is often a high turnover rate among members each year. All of this makes it difficult to run and be competitive as a club sport.

As hard as it can be to balance school and sports, we do what we do because we love our sport. I'm not waking up at 5:45 a.m. to make it to practice to keep my scholarship. I wake up to get to practice to better myself and my team. When I'm not in class, lab or at practice, I'm studying and getting my work done to make sure I have the time to row, not because I have to hold a certain GPA to stay in college. I watch my diet because I want to improve for my team, not because I am required to maintain a certain weight. We drive 30 minutes off campus to where we can practice and do what we love. When we travel several hours to a competition on our own, we know our results won't end up in the school paper, newsletter or in a trophy hall.

I confess that I am sometimes envious of the official sports at the school. I would bet that sometimes they are jealous of us. Both groups are doing the sport they love, but their reasons, troubles, benefits and experiences differ. We may not be the football stars or the next Olympic swimmers, but we are athletes nonetheless. We are our college's club athletes, and we do our sports for nothing else but our sheer love of what we do.

Even if you’re not a college or professional athlete, staying in shape is critical to a well-balanced life. The Red Bulletin sat down with two workout beasts Alsany and Sekou to find out how a full body workout is done outside of the gym. If you hate the gym check out these tips to reach your fitness #goals!

Check out more fun and exciting Red Bulletin content here!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

70941
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

132508
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments