Organized soccer club to hit IM fields soon
Catherine Sims
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: Sports
For Hillsdale soccer players, the end of the wait for an organized club team may be in sight.
Hillsdale has not had a varsity soccer team since 2003, when the squad was cut primarily because of funding, Sports Information Director Brad Monastiere said.
The last attempt at becoming a club sport was in 2006, but students have had to be content with pickup games on the IM fields to this point.
Freshman Max Nichols said he hopes this will end as soon as next semester.
Nichols, who received his coaching license three months ago, is searching out potential players for a new club team this fall.
Scouting will take place at a five-on-five, co-ed tournament he is organizing for Oct. 25.
If club status is allowed, Nichols said he hopes the team will play other local schools.
Instead of pickup games in gym shorts and an old "Otter's Army" T-shirt, players would participate in competitive matches with uniforms and certified referees.
Junior Sarah Holland said she is excited about Nichols' determination to get things moving for soccer players at Hillsdale.
"A lot of us have chosen the school over the sport," Holland said, acknowledging many students at Hillsdale have the skill to play ball for bigger schools with varsity teams. "There's definitely a lot of interest and skill."
Students around campus show support for the idea.
"Club soccer would be a great thing for Hillsdale because of the large amount of people interested in soccer, including many former high school players who would have tried out for a varsity team if there was one," freshman Joe Chrisman said. "The addition of a competitive but non-varsity sport would really appeal to the semi-serious athletes that make up a large group here at Hillsdale. The club team will be open to both genders, offering something that rugby really doesn't."
Junior Naomi Johnson also think soccer would be popular among Hillsdale's students.
"A lot of students come here thinking there will be a soccer team, and then they're disappointed when they arrive," Johnson said.
Nichols certainly has a lot of work ahead of him. Athletic Director Don Brubacher said, there has not been an entirely consistent pattern of sponsorship for club athletics, and it may take some dialogue with the deans to ascertain the rules for a sport to become affiliated with the school.
Although many students are interested in soccer, academic demands and requirements from other groups and activities may prevent many of them from participating in multiple practices per week.
However, Holland said she's confident Nichols will be able to form a fully functional Club soccer team for Hillsdale by his junior year, which is welcome news for soccer enthusiasts all over campus.
Hillsdale has not had a varsity soccer team since 2003, when the squad was cut primarily because of funding, Sports Information Director Brad Monastiere said.
The last attempt at becoming a club sport was in 2006, but students have had to be content with pickup games on the IM fields to this point.
Freshman Max Nichols said he hopes this will end as soon as next semester.
Nichols, who received his coaching license three months ago, is searching out potential players for a new club team this fall.
Scouting will take place at a five-on-five, co-ed tournament he is organizing for Oct. 25.
If club status is allowed, Nichols said he hopes the team will play other local schools.
Instead of pickup games in gym shorts and an old "Otter's Army" T-shirt, players would participate in competitive matches with uniforms and certified referees.
Junior Sarah Holland said she is excited about Nichols' determination to get things moving for soccer players at Hillsdale.
"A lot of us have chosen the school over the sport," Holland said, acknowledging many students at Hillsdale have the skill to play ball for bigger schools with varsity teams. "There's definitely a lot of interest and skill."
Students around campus show support for the idea.
"Club soccer would be a great thing for Hillsdale because of the large amount of people interested in soccer, including many former high school players who would have tried out for a varsity team if there was one," freshman Joe Chrisman said. "The addition of a competitive but non-varsity sport would really appeal to the semi-serious athletes that make up a large group here at Hillsdale. The club team will be open to both genders, offering something that rugby really doesn't."
Junior Naomi Johnson also think soccer would be popular among Hillsdale's students.
"A lot of students come here thinking there will be a soccer team, and then they're disappointed when they arrive," Johnson said.
Nichols certainly has a lot of work ahead of him. Athletic Director Don Brubacher said, there has not been an entirely consistent pattern of sponsorship for club athletics, and it may take some dialogue with the deans to ascertain the rules for a sport to become affiliated with the school.
Although many students are interested in soccer, academic demands and requirements from other groups and activities may prevent many of them from participating in multiple practices per week.
However, Holland said she's confident Nichols will be able to form a fully functional Club soccer team for Hillsdale by his junior year, which is welcome news for soccer enthusiasts all over campus.
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