Journals

Tour Guide Series Part 3: Athletics

April 12, 2012   

Hamilton is a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) and competes against various other liberal arts colleges such as Amherst, Bates, Colby, Bowdoin, Trinity, Wesleyan, Connecticut College, Middlebury, Williams and Tufts. About 30 percent of the student body participates in a varsity sport, and another sixty percent participates in a club or intramural.

Varsity sports include hockey, basketball, football, soccer and lacrosse, among others. The full list can be found here http://www.hamilton.edu/athletics/varsity

Club sports typically play within the state, including rugby. In high school I played tennis - a very individually driven sport without physical contact. Then when I came to Hamilton, I tried something new, and it was rugby! The sports could not be any more different - hahaha. Other extremely popular club sports at Hamilton include curling, ultimate Frisbee and alpine skiing.

Intramural sports and teams compete against other Hamiltonians and include, for the spring, touch football, soccer, volleyball and softball. The fall line-up includes hockey, kickball and basketball. It’s pretty fun to start a team with a group of friends, and win or lose, it’s a good way to take a break from academia.

In case you are wondering, it is manageable to be both a student and an athlete. I have many friends who do both. They are also very academically accomplished because they budget their time appropriately. Just prioritize, and you should be fine.

One thing that I always suggest to incoming students is to try something new at college! Whether it is athletics, classes outside your major or different social groups, it is a good way to solidify who you are as a person. For me it was rugby, and it has been an experience I do not regret. Of course you can continue with what you did in high school, but it can't hurt to branch out and learn what works and what doesn't work for you!