Most of us at Hopkins participated in sports teams in high school. Now that we are in college, participation in sports teams can seem much more difficult since varsity teams don't allow just anyone to join. What can the average athlete do to partake in team sports? Well, you could try out for a varsity team, but for those who don't want to make such a commitment, there are two alternatives: club teams and intramurals. Either way, you'll be having fun, meeting new people and burning off that weekend alcohol and Taco Bell.
Club teams resemble varsity teams, but they generally do not require as much time and commitment. These are teams of various sports that gather a few times a week to practice and (depending on the sport) play against other local schools. For most clubs, there are no tryouts so anyone can join, even those with no prior experience.
Club sports are appealing because you can play in a generally relaxed atmosphere and get to know the people on your team, without worrying about championships. You won't have to worry about missing schoolwork because you can control how much or how little you participate in your team. Some clubs are very well organized or have many participants, but some clubs are not very organized or very small. Some do not have coaches, set practice schedules or set games. You may or may not like this informal atmosphere. A good way to learn about the state of the club you are interested in is to talk to its members or just attend practice a few times.
Hopkins offers a wide variety of sports clubs, from lacrosse and ultimate Frisbee, to cheerleading and badminton. For a full list of sports clubs, check out http://www.jhu.edu/recsport/SportClubs/sportclubs.htm. The website does not offer up-to-date contact information, so it may be best to contact the Office of Recreation at 410-516-4419 if you would like to join a club. Otherwise, be sure to check out the SAC fair this Friday, where several sports clubs will be represented. In addition, if there is a sport that does not have a team, with a lot of effort, you can make your own club. The women's volleyball club team was created last year by two students. So if you are upset that there is no club team for basketball or swimming, start your own!
If you think that even club teams require too much time and hassle, you still have the option of participating in intramurals. Intramural teams generally don't have practices. Once you sign up as a team, you will just play against other teams in your league. You can decide among five leagues in general, though not every sport will offer every league. There is a Fraternity league, where various Greek organizations play against each other, a Dorm league, where the teams are formed by people who live in the same building or floor, a Co-ed league, where teams require both males and females, a Women's league and an Open league, where anyone can form a team.
Once you pick the members of your team, you can decide on a captain and sign up for a league. There are specific dates to sign up, which consists of handing in an entry form to the Intramurals Staff. The captain will be given a schedule of games to play against the other teams of your league. You can also keep the same team to play in different sports. The Intramurals Staff will keep track of your team's wins and losses and give out points accordingly. The points will determine the end-of-the-year intramural champions.
Intramurals are an easy way to compete in sports. Since your team may consist of only your friends, you may end up having a better time. There is not much pressure to win and this is just something to do for fun and recreation. Intramurals also have the added fun factor of non-traditional sports, such as dodgeball and innertube water polo.
There are many intramurals offered in the fall and in the spring. Check out http://www.jhu.edu/recsport/Intramurals/intramurals.htm for a full listing of the sports offered and for contact information. Remember, you have to sign up with your team before you can play.
Even if you don't join a varsity team at Hopkins, there are still options available for you to play sports for clubs or intramurals. The Athletic Center even offers fitness classes and exercise equipment if competition is not your thing. Through the many athletic programs that Hopkins offers, getting exercise doesn't have to be something you do on your own.
