What does a high school athlete, accustomed to six-day-a-week practices and games, do when he or she arrives at college and does not play an intercollegiate sport? For many Hamilton students the answer is intramural or club sports. On the Hill and at many other colleges, intramurals fill the need to continue playing a sport from high school or a desire to try something new. At Hamilton an estimated 500-600 students this year are playing or will play on an intramural or club team – from soccer and ice hockey to badminton and Frisbee.
Dave Thompson, director of the Blood Fitness Center and Campus Wellness, oversees intramural and club sports at Hamilton. Through campus wellness, Hamilton offers a wealth of information and activities to ensure the good health of all those on campus, including exercise achieved through competitive sports.
Though Hamilton offers 28 varsity intercollegiate sports, Thompson and many dedicated student volunteers organize athletic competition for those not willing to make the commitment to an intercollegiate team or who simply want to have fun and burn off some energy competing against friends or residence hall neighbors.
In addition to varsity teams Hamilton also fields squads at the non-varsity, or club, level in men's and women's alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, rugby and tae kwon do. Coed teams include equestrian, fencing, sailing and ultimate Frisbee, and Hamilton College women's golf balances the men's varsity team.
Continentals' club teams may compete against clubs from other schools or against other Hamilton teams. representing a residence hall, a group of friends or any other organization interested in playing a sport for fun.
"Club programs provide a competitive experience beyond the campus," says Thompson. "The competition is open or intercollegiate in nature. Some club programs have coaches and many compete in leagues with varsity programs. Women's golf, alpine skiing and equestrian are good examples of this, not to mention rugby and ultimate Frisbee."
Not to mention rugby indeed. Men's and women's rugby are making names for themselves as popular and successful club teams. Take the scene at Minor Field on Oct. 27, for example. Under a steady downpour, the Hamilton men -- known as the Exiles rather than the Continentals -- took on the University at Buffalo that day in a Division III state playoff game.
The game was played under U.S.A. Rugby rules, an official was present and despite the rain, a strong contingent of spectators showed up to see the Exiles win, 18-0. To the casual observer, the game had all the feel of a traditional American college varsity contest.
Make no mistake about it though; this is club. By nature, it's more casual than a varsity program. "Everything's very well-organized, but this is club," says captain Jon Milgrom '08. "We're a little less serious [than a varsity team]. If you miss practice, it's not the end of the world, but we've even got guys who played rugby in high school who take it very seriously."
Despite its club status, the rugby team still receives some funding from the College to keep the program competitive. "The school's been very good to us," says Milgrom. "Last year was the first year that we made it to the postseason. Regionals were in Batavia, and the president's office got us a hotel, so we got to spend the night up there. For states last year, the athletics office got us a bus to St. Lawrence."
The men's rugby team is also fortunate enough to have an official coach -- Brad Jones, who himself played the sport when he was a student at Boston College. "These guys really work hard," says Jones. "We have 35 guys at every practice. Last year, it was more like 17 or 18. Guys who've played all kinds of sports—soccer, football, all games—show up. Some guys played rugby in high school, some have grown up with it, but mostly they just recruit freshmen."
Yet, all of this is still only one aspect of Hamilton non-intercollegiate athletics, with intramurals the other. As Thompson explains, "Intramural activities are strictly on-campus activities. Club sports are the level just below varsity, while intramurals are more recreational – although while in-house they can still get somewhat competitive."
The scene at Alumni Gym on a recent Saturday certainly was not. In a friendly match Liz Carty '11 and Taylor Adams '11 played a pick-up game of badminton, sharing the hardwood with a group of youngsters who found their way onto the court for a game of basketball knockout. Carty comes to the gym every Saturday at 4 p.m. with a key to the equipment closet and the hope of having an opponent.
"I actually played varsity badminton for four years at my high school in Illinois," says Carty. "We were probably the only state that had that. Most people that come [for pick-up badminton] have never played before."
But intramurals are what give Carty the chance to keep playing a sport that she's very familiar with as well as to try some that she may not have played before arriving at Hamilton. "I've played intramural soccer, and I might do hockey, but I haven't decided yet. I can skate; I'm (originally) from Canada."
She may have a lot of trouble making up her mind too, with all of the options at the College. One would be hard-pressed to find a sport that's not offered in some way at Hamilton, especially given the breadth of the intramural program. But if a student wanted to start a league in a sport not already played on the Hill, it would certainly be considered. It just takes a few interested students and a league or tournament can be established.
Among intramurals Hamilton currently offers, will soon offer or has recently offered are badminton, soccer, touch football, volleyball, racquetball, golf, basketball, ice hockey, squash, kickball, beach volleyball, softball, lacrosse, baseball, Nordic skiing, tennis, indoor soccer and even something called inner tube water polo. And, there's always HamTrek, an annual triathlon of swimming, cycling and running.
In some cases, intramural leagues and tournaments are broken down into categories so as to increase the competitiveness. Sometimes Thompson organizes "A" and "B" levels according to ability to make the teams more -- or less -- competitive for participants.
"A vast number of our students, probably in excess of 70 percent, played some form of competitive sport(s) prior to coming to Hamilton," says Thompson. "Intramurals -- and clubs for that matter -- enable these students to continue their athletic interest even if they are not able or willing to make the commitment to a varsity sport. Intramurals and clubs provide a fitness and stress outlet for students and a social network for many."
Adds Carty, "If you're not going to compete at the college level, intramurals are a really good way to stay active and to keep participating in something that you may have done before college."
Intramurals add to the quality of campus life . Intramural softball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, touch football and lacrosse player Nathan Vandergrift '08 confirms this fact. "Intramural sports bring people together outside of the dorms and classrooms. Even these more informal sports teams foster strong relationships and communities among participants."
Thompson adds that perhaps even more importantly, future Hamilton students are also influenced by the many programs offered by the department of athletics. "Club and intramural sports enable the department and the College to be represented in a broader range of athletic endeavors," he says, "and they help the College attract more students."
-- by Robert Healy III, Sports Information Assistant
Dave Thompson, director of the Blood Fitness Center and Campus Wellness, oversees intramural and club sports at Hamilton. Through campus wellness, Hamilton offers a wealth of information and activities to ensure the good health of all those on campus, including exercise achieved through competitive sports.
Though Hamilton offers 28 varsity intercollegiate sports, Thompson and many dedicated student volunteers organize athletic competition for those not willing to make the commitment to an intercollegiate team or who simply want to have fun and burn off some energy competing against friends or residence hall neighbors.
In addition to varsity teams Hamilton also fields squads at the non-varsity, or club, level in men's and women's alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, rugby and tae kwon do. Coed teams include equestrian, fencing, sailing and ultimate Frisbee, and Hamilton College women's golf balances the men's varsity team.
Continentals' club teams may compete against clubs from other schools or against other Hamilton teams. representing a residence hall, a group of friends or any other organization interested in playing a sport for fun.
"Club programs provide a competitive experience beyond the campus," says Thompson. "The competition is open or intercollegiate in nature. Some club programs have coaches and many compete in leagues with varsity programs. Women's golf, alpine skiing and equestrian are good examples of this, not to mention rugby and ultimate Frisbee."
Not to mention rugby indeed. Men's and women's rugby are making names for themselves as popular and successful club teams. Take the scene at Minor Field on Oct. 27, for example. Under a steady downpour, the Hamilton men -- known as the Exiles rather than the Continentals -- took on the University at Buffalo that day in a Division III state playoff game.
The game was played under U.S.A. Rugby rules, an official was present and despite the rain, a strong contingent of spectators showed up to see the Exiles win, 18-0. To the casual observer, the game had all the feel of a traditional American college varsity contest.
Make no mistake about it though; this is club. By nature, it's more casual than a varsity program. "Everything's very well-organized, but this is club," says captain Jon Milgrom '08. "We're a little less serious [than a varsity team]. If you miss practice, it's not the end of the world, but we've even got guys who played rugby in high school who take it very seriously."
Despite its club status, the rugby team still receives some funding from the College to keep the program competitive. "The school's been very good to us," says Milgrom. "Last year was the first year that we made it to the postseason. Regionals were in Batavia, and the president's office got us a hotel, so we got to spend the night up there. For states last year, the athletics office got us a bus to St. Lawrence."
The men's rugby team is also fortunate enough to have an official coach -- Brad Jones, who himself played the sport when he was a student at Boston College. "These guys really work hard," says Jones. "We have 35 guys at every practice. Last year, it was more like 17 or 18. Guys who've played all kinds of sports—soccer, football, all games—show up. Some guys played rugby in high school, some have grown up with it, but mostly they just recruit freshmen."
Yet, all of this is still only one aspect of Hamilton non-intercollegiate athletics, with intramurals the other. As Thompson explains, "Intramural activities are strictly on-campus activities. Club sports are the level just below varsity, while intramurals are more recreational – although while in-house they can still get somewhat competitive."
The scene at Alumni Gym on a recent Saturday certainly was not. In a friendly match Liz Carty '11 and Taylor Adams '11 played a pick-up game of badminton, sharing the hardwood with a group of youngsters who found their way onto the court for a game of basketball knockout. Carty comes to the gym every Saturday at 4 p.m. with a key to the equipment closet and the hope of having an opponent.
"I actually played varsity badminton for four years at my high school in Illinois," says Carty. "We were probably the only state that had that. Most people that come [for pick-up badminton] have never played before."
But intramurals are what give Carty the chance to keep playing a sport that she's very familiar with as well as to try some that she may not have played before arriving at Hamilton. "I've played intramural soccer, and I might do hockey, but I haven't decided yet. I can skate; I'm (originally) from Canada."
She may have a lot of trouble making up her mind too, with all of the options at the College. One would be hard-pressed to find a sport that's not offered in some way at Hamilton, especially given the breadth of the intramural program. But if a student wanted to start a league in a sport not already played on the Hill, it would certainly be considered. It just takes a few interested students and a league or tournament can be established.
Among intramurals Hamilton currently offers, will soon offer or has recently offered are badminton, soccer, touch football, volleyball, racquetball, golf, basketball, ice hockey, squash, kickball, beach volleyball, softball, lacrosse, baseball, Nordic skiing, tennis, indoor soccer and even something called inner tube water polo. And, there's always HamTrek, an annual triathlon of swimming, cycling and running.
In some cases, intramural leagues and tournaments are broken down into categories so as to increase the competitiveness. Sometimes Thompson organizes "A" and "B" levels according to ability to make the teams more -- or less -- competitive for participants.
"A vast number of our students, probably in excess of 70 percent, played some form of competitive sport(s) prior to coming to Hamilton," says Thompson. "Intramurals -- and clubs for that matter -- enable these students to continue their athletic interest even if they are not able or willing to make the commitment to a varsity sport. Intramurals and clubs provide a fitness and stress outlet for students and a social network for many."
Adds Carty, "If you're not going to compete at the college level, intramurals are a really good way to stay active and to keep participating in something that you may have done before college."
Intramurals add to the quality of campus life . Intramural softball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, touch football and lacrosse player Nathan Vandergrift '08 confirms this fact. "Intramural sports bring people together outside of the dorms and classrooms. Even these more informal sports teams foster strong relationships and communities among participants."
Thompson adds that perhaps even more importantly, future Hamilton students are also influenced by the many programs offered by the department of athletics. "Club and intramural sports enable the department and the College to be represented in a broader range of athletic endeavors," he says, "and they help the College attract more students."
-- by Robert Healy III, Sports Information Assistant
