If you went to a small high school, you may find that your college has sports teams and clubs you have never heard of and know little about. Don’t worry. You’re not the only one. Chances are, if you’re in good shape and coordinated, you’ll be able to learn the sport easily and actually make the team. Many coaches of the lesser-known sports expect that they will have to train new members, and they set aside time to do this so you don’t need to feel embarrassed.
Here is information on four sports for men and women that you’re likely to find one or more of at your university, but may not have been available to you in high school.
So if you’re looking for an alternative sport - rugby, lacrosse, crew, or fencing could be a great way to keep in shape and learn something new.
Rugby
Rugby is not just a kind of shirt you can buy at J Crew.
Think football. Take away the pads and helmets. Make the ball bigger, less pointy on the ends, and white. Stir in a little soccer (you can pass, carry, and kick the ball, but you can only pass backwards).
Good, you’re getting there. Now add a lot of running (a tackle does not stop play), scrums (when the teams form large interlocking groups to face off and the fact that throwing the ball down in the endzone is actually required, not something players do just to show off.
Popular with men and women around the world, rugby maintains club status on most campuses due to insurance risks.
The rules of rugby are easy to learn. It requires endurance, strength, agility and a healthy fascination with comparing scrapes and bruises after a game. We are talking bruises the size of personal pizzas here. A good workout full of team spirit, it is an interesting alternative to football and soccer.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse began as a sport played by Native American Indians in preparation for war. Now it is popular with students who need a little release from preparing for exams and papers.
Lacrosse is basically like field hockey - only the ball is passed in the air (that’s where the helmets come in). Players pass the ball from stick to stick (there are little nets on the end of the sticks) until a player has a shot at the goal, which looks a lot like a field hockey or soccer goal.
This sport requires endurance and incredibly good hand-eye coordination. Passing, catching, and holding on to the ball take a lot of practice. Instead of tackling, players “check” each other’s sticks to force them to drop the ball.
Depending on the popularity of the sport on campus, and whether others played in high school, you may have a chance at playing on the lacrosse team even if you never played before. If competition is tough, there may be an intramural option.
Fencing
An Olympic sport, fencing gives you the opportunity to wield a sword legally - not to mention dress somewhat like a knight; only the “shining armor” is padding and leotards.
Fencing is also considered a martial art. It requires grace, timing, flexibility, and a very good vocabulary (you’ll be mastering words like “epee” and “rapier”). Think dueling Shakespeare style, not “Dukes of Hazard” style.
The point of fencing is to outwit your opponent and “attack” him/her. However, these attacks, if conducted properly, are no more hurtful than a tap on the shoulder. The primary source of injury in fencing is from pulled muscles and joints, not open wounds.
It’s usually a club sport with some colleges even offering it as a Physical Education class. Most students have not had previous fencing experience; so chances are that if you want to fence, you’re free to “join the club.”
Crew
There’s an undeniable romance to setting out on a still river early in the morning, rowing in synch with 1, 3, or 7 other people. And there’s an undeniable hardship to getting up a 5 am and working out for two hours.
For many, rowing (crew) is more than a sport - it’s a way of life. Since most high schools do not have crew teams, the disciplines of the sport will probably be new to you. At first, strength and endurance - not necessarily skill - will be what you need for tryouts.
If you think you have the stamina and time, crew can be an incredibly rewarding sport, with some great travel opportunities. If you just want to be out on the water, but don’t want to sweat it out early in the morning, consider kayaking or sailing. Or if you think rowing sounds fun, and you’re slight and small - you can be the coxswain - the person who gets to steer, yell, and be taken for a ride (also the one who gets dumped in the drink if you win).
In a world dominated by a handful of “major” sports, the “minor” sports are often overlooked. College offers you an opportunity to sample everything on the sports menu. So don’t be afraid to order a la carte. En garde!
