Many students come to Bates having played sports throughout high school and want to continue their athletic involvement. For some, this may look like competing on one of the college’s 32 varsity teams as either a recruited athlete or a walk-on, but there are also several opportunities to engage at the club level. Club sports offer students community, exploration, and a chance to get out into the greater Lewiston-Auburn area. During my first year at Bates, I found myself on the tennis courts, sailing at Taylor Pond, and night skiing at Lost Valley. Since most teams only practice a couple of times a week it’s super easy to be a part of multiple different ones. Whether it was playing King of the Court or mixed doubles at club tennis or showing up to the first sailing practice completely clueless as to how to rig a boat, these experiences helped me find my footing at Bates. Many clubs also put on team dinners and socials making it easier to feel a part of the palpable campus community.
Perhaps one of the most memorable experiences of my first year was when club ski racing took a trip to Sunday River for a Giant Slalom (GS) race. Although I practically grew up on skis, I’d never actually raced before. After some encouragement from a friend of mine and some upperclassmen in the club, I gave it a shot and my eyes were opened to a new element of the sport. The heightened adrenaline rush at the starting gate as I listened to another Bates student count me off was surreal. When the course began to narrow I saw the rest of the team standing behind the finish line cheering and snapping photos. The comradery was truly alive that day. Skiing is a special sport and being able to do it with other die-hards has been incredible.
No matter what paths you choose to embark on when you arrive at Bates you really can’t go wrong. At the beginning of every semester after the first day of classes, the Office of Campus Life puts on a club fair that gives new and returning students the chance to learn about many of the extracurricular opportunities at Bates. Coldfront Ultimate Frisbee, Club Hockey, and the Outing Club are popular choices but feel free to look into the wide variety of options because there are truly so many.
Regardless if you’ve been playing a sport your whole life or are just looking to try something new there are numerous avenues awaiting your exploration. Intramural teams like dodgeball and kickball tend to form during the year, so joining something later on is also a possibility. All clubs at Bates are looking for new members so don’t hesitate to reach out and go after the things that excite you.
