Club and JV sports: alternatives to the varsity grind

Many athletically inclined freshmen opt not to play a varsity sport, but miss the good old spirit of competition, the physical conditions and the element of camaraderie that come with athletic competition. Yale's junior varsity and club sports offer a perfect solution.

Club and JV sports at Yale vary widely enough to provide something for everyone. Some of the teams practice very seriously, such as the cycling and men's volleyball teams, which meet five days each week. Other teams' regimens, however, are much less demanding; clubs like the ski team practice for only one week each year.

Some club teams used to have varsity status, but lost it due to Title IX regulations, which stipulate that equal funding go to men's and women's athletics programs. This loss hurts recruiting efforts, as many high school players choose to join varsity programs, which offer chartered buses, hotel rooms, and free meals. The club athlete's life is much more spartan, and includes paying dues and fundraising. The wrestling, men's water polo and men's volleyball teams made repeated attempts to regain their varsity billing. Still, all three have enjoyed success despite the disadvantages of their club status.

Wrestling had the most dramatic success story this year. The wrestlers mainly compete in a non-varsity league, the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA). Going into the NCWA championships on Fri., Mar. 13 and Sat., 14 in Dallas, Tex., the Bulldogs were surprisingly ranked fifth in the league and felt extremely confident. Captain James Gutierrez, CC '99, said, "We are definitely in the position to win the national championship." The team did just that, taking first place at the tournament by a comfortable 15-point margin and rallying the support of the mostly southern crowd in the process. Now the wrestlers feel they are ready to move up to a varsity team. "The tournament proved to us and others that Yale is a dominant force in club wrestling and is sufficiently mature to graduate into the varsity level," Zach Kaufman, SY '00, said.

Other club teams find the independence of their non-varsity status to be ideal. Two such teams are ultimate frisbee and rugby, the most popular club teams at Yale. Both have separate men's and women's teams, and each holds its afternoon practice at the IM fields.

JULIA TIERNAN/YH The women's ultimate frisbee team, Ramona, is one of Yale's most successful club teams.

The past few years have seen strong performances from the Yale men's and women's ultimate frisbee teams Süperfly and Ramona. This year, both squads earned berths in the national tournament held in Blaine, Minn., at the end of May. It is rumored that the frisbee was born in New Haven, and every year teams from around the East Coast return for the Yale Cup Ultimate Tournament. This year, both teams parlayed the home-field advantage into an impressive dis-play of disc competition. The women beat favorite Cornell in the finals, while the men made it to the semifinals before falling to Brown. At regionals, the women placed second, behind Cornell, and the men placed third, behind Harvard and Brown.

Combining many of the skills of football and soccer, rugby is a very intense sport. Though each rugby team has about 30 members, virtually no one comes to Yale with previous rugby experience. Thus, beginners are welcome for a crash course in rugby skills, which prepares them to play in the first tournament of the year. Both the men and the women field two sides; the A-side and B-side correspond to varsity and junior varsity teams. Most games are 80 minutes long and are followed by drinking with members of the opposing team. This year, the men's team went on a 12-day tour of England and Scotland over spring break, where they gained valuable experience by playing against experienced squad. "We didn't expect to win, we just wanted to learn and have fun," club captain Jed Herrmann, JE '00, said. The team returned in top form, dominating Wesleyan 65-3 on Sat., Mar. 28, and then crushing Columbia 123-0 on Wed., Apr. 11.

Yale also has both men's and women's polo teams. The program's facilities are among the best in the country and the teams have won many national chamionships. As with all club sports at Yale, athletes with no experience are welcome and are taught the necessary skills.

The club sailing team is a good option for those who want to get out on the water. The squad practices three days a week at the Yale Corinthian Yacht Club, located 10 minutes from campus. The team competes in varsity, JV, and novice regattas throughout the season. "The sailing team was a great chance to meet people and get outside on the weekends," Jonathan Jenkins, SM '98, said.

Yale also has club programs in archery, badminton, ballroom dancing, cheerleading, cricket, croquet, cycling, equestrian, fishing, judo, kendo, kung fu, lacrosse, mountain biking, mountaineering, outing, pistol, rifle, shotokan karate, skeet and trap, alpine and nordic skiing, table tennis, and Tae Kwon Do.

JV teams, unlike club teams, reap the benefits of varsity status, but JV competition is less intense. For example, the members of the JV crew boat do everything together with the varsity rowers, but they compete in separate races. The JV crew boats have been successful of late, with the lightweights winning Eastern Sprints in 1997 and taking silver this year, and the women won silver in 1997. JV football players also practice and train with the varsity players, but they play in separate games, on Sundays and Mondays. "It is looked upon as a developmental contest in preparation for varsity play," football Coach Jack Siedlecki said. Yale also has JV squads in fencing, ice hockey, squash, tennis, and volleyball.

Club and JV sports provide students a terrific opportunity to try something new and different--or to just continue participating in an activity you enjoyed pursuing in high school. The competition is intense and the rewards are worthwhile. "Club sports are both a chance to improve your physical condition and to meet lots of great Yale students with similar interests," Dan Abraham, SM '98, said. JV and club squads provide an excellent opportunity to compete against squads from the Northeast, and beyond in a fun atmosphere that is more relaxed than varsity but more serious than intramurals. And with the wide selection of teams, Yale's club and JV sports programs offer something for everyone.

Carl Bialik and Alice Kim contributed to this article.

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