Sport clubs have been an integral part in many Duke students’ lives. Personally, my sport has been one of the highlights of my Duke career. Flying to Boston every fall for the Head of the Charles Regatta—the biggest rowing competition in the country—is an experience I will never forget and always be proud of. From these competitions to other team activities, sport clubs have defined my Duke experience.
When I was younger, I did just about everything that crossed my path. I took piano lessons, sang in an a capella group and played about every sport I could. Granted, not everything stuck, but the point is that I tried. In high school, I did everything I could outside of school. I joined a variety of varsity sports teams, participated in community service programs and was part of a science research program. On my weekends and summers, I’d do volunteer lab work. I never had a spare moment during my high school career, which helped me become a much more well-rounded individual.
Fast forward to my time at Duke, and no longer does that hustle and bustle apply. Everyone is still always busy, but that usually means busy studying. The intellectual rigor that we’re exposed to here has pushed us to compete with each other more fiercely for classes, grades and ultimately jobs. In the midst of long nights in the library and grade-grubbing to boost GPAs, many people have lost sight of the multitude of opportunities available to us on Duke’s campus.
Duke’s sport clubs program is an example of such an opportunity. Collectively, Duke club sports are the second largest student organization on campus, with almost 1,300 students participating every year. Of the 37 clubs, more than half have traveled around the country competing against other schools in regional and national tournaments. Students in sport clubs are challenged athletically and exposed socially to peers and mentors in their own years and beyond. As a member of a sport club myself, I’ve met people of all different backgrounds and experience levels, some that have been playing my sport for half of their lives to others who have never stepped foot on a competitive court.
In addition to the athletic and teamwork experiences that sport clubs extend to students, these clubs also afford students the rare opportunity to travel across the globe to compete and train internationally. Teams have travel to Amsterdam, Switzerland, Korea, Puerto Rico and a variety of other countries.
These trips also promote team bonding and create lasting friendships. With all of the stress at Duke, it can be very difficult to meet new friends outside of your daily routine. Personally, some of my best friends have come from the men’s rowing team. Waking up at 5:30 a.m. every day is not for everyone, but for my team it is a unifying part of our club. We do everything early in the morning and that is when we have some of our greatest experiences. While the rowing team is unique in that it is the only club that practices that early, other clubs have similar bonding factors. Through trips and competitions, sport club athletes are able to get to know each other through opportunities that are not achievable outside of these organizations.
Despite the number of students in sport clubs, a majority of the Duke community does not take advantage of this opportunity. The most common excuse for not joining is students being “too busy.” Don’t get me wrong; I have my own StumbleUpon account and am addicted to several shows on Netflix. Nevertheless, I’m still part of several sport clubs and work closely with the presidents of the other clubs to ensure that every member has the same great experience. I have felt the pressure of being “too busy” but could never imagine dropping club sports. I don’t find time for them, I make time for them.
If you’re still not convinced, then think of it this way: In 20 years, what are you going to remember most about college? The grade you got in economics? That term paper for your Writing 101 class? Or the relationships you made through the doors you opened? We have members that have won back-to-back national championships, teams that have competed internationally and clubs that fly all over the country to face top competition. Sport club members like these will never forget the experiences and memories made within their teams.
Parker Poliakoff is a Trinity senior and the DSG director of athletics and club sports. His column is the eighth installment in a semester-long series of weekly columns written by members of Duke Student Government. Send Parker a message on Twitter @DukeStudentGov.
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