Club sports break up the daily grind

I love the smell of chlorine in the morning; and waking up to the smell of coffee too. This summer I am enjoying waking up to both, coaching a neighborhood swim team and taking some time to enjoy my summer break.

My experience at Tech has taught me that I cannot survive the rigor of academic demands without some way to break out of the monotonous routine: club sports and intramurals at Tech allow a healthy outlet to channel the stresses Tech students face; athletics provide the opportunity to meet new people and continue competition in college.

My addiction to the pool and love for coaching is fueled by my passion for the water. The cool rush of every dive, the slice of the water with every stroke, the drive of competition, the spirit of a team, the daily commitment: I love competitive swimming.

As a child, I grew up where summer meant swim team and hanging out at the pool after practice every single day; and yet summer never grew monotonous, as I loved swimming and playing games at the pool everyday.

From summer league swimming I transitioned to year-round competition, where I lived, breathed and dreamed about swimming. The dedication to competitive swimming in the club team environment demanded drive and commitment, with practice six days a week and holidays meant two practices instead of one.

Despite the grueling toils of competitive swimming throughout my high school career, I enjoyed the hard work and cherished my close friendships that arose out the team atmosphere.

Senior year capped off an incredible farewell season, with my best times and some of my favorite memories. I continued my buzz beyond the winter season and into spring semester with graduation excitement and my decision to go to Tech.

In the midst of all my excitement as an incoming freshman to Tech, I was actually sad to leave my Swim Atlanta commitment behind and the intensity of my usual daily grind. I was a former competitive swimmer joining the ranks of the Tech student body: without a team and facing the reality I was no longer a varsity athlete.

The first few whirlwind weeks brought new priorities of class and meeting new people; swimming slipped to the back of my mind. But soon after I was adjusted into a new routine, and I was ready to get back in the water.

I had looked into club sports during the first week of fall semester as I was bombarded with solicitations to join all kinds of organizations on campus.

It was the time of year when Skiles Walkway becomes crowded with a sea of students frantically waving fliers to reel in the new freshmen class. Swim Club, complete with a pirate and palm tree set up on the sidewalk, certainly grabbed my attention.

With practice times and friendly faces, I decided to join the club team; I was skeptical at first, not sure if I was ready to handle a transition of such a dramatic jump from strict, intense competition to a more laid back frame of mind.

It was a slow start; I showed up to practice intimidated by all of the students already outfitted with friends and the swim club routine. But slowly my intimidation melted away as I met new people and began to practice every available evening I could spare with the team.

My first Swim Club meet was on the road, hosted by Tulane. The meet was so much fun with several teams travelling to compete; through the road trip experience to New Orleans and weekend together with the Tech team, I really grew close to my teammates and truly felt a part of the team.

From then on out it was nothing but swim club love, with practice, a shared dedication to working out, friendly competition, crazy road trips, parties, team unity, spirit, and a chance to constantly meet new people. Swim Club really fused together my favorite parts of competitive swimming: a close-knit team driven by competition and the love for the sport.

My experience and background led me to be a part of swim club; this is not my banner statement to reveal how great Tech's swim club team is, but rather encourage students to step outside the classroom and get involved on campus: club sports and intramurals are just one facet of the opportunities available to enrich your college experience.

The CRC teamed up alongside student leaders to invite students to participate and get plugged into an athletic outlet.

Recently, organized summer intramural leagues were formed to extend options for summer semester students.

From water skiing to ultimate frisbee to flag football to soccer to break dancing to crew, club sports and intramurals offer a wealth of opportunity for students on campus.

With sports ranging in all levels of commitment and intensity, find an activity right for you. Try something new or stick with your passion, but become involved and have some fun.