By Amy Burlage
Teams can also hold fundraisers. Gill said that the crew team recently raised$52,000 in a fundraiser. The club sports program recently started an annual letter-writing fundraiser to friends and family of club members requesting donations to their team, Recreation and Wellness Director Tom Roberts said in a telephone interview.
"We are going to continue to try and increase funding, to look for new ways to
distribute funds," Roberts said.
The more participation a sport has, the easier it is to get funding, Celander said. Sports teams with representation on the executive council (ice hockey, women's water polo, rugby and crew) get an inside view to funding and therefore know when and who to ask for money, he said.
"The Sports Club Council is made up of four elected positions and the most interested clubs get represented," he said. "It hurts other clubs because clubs on the council know when the money is around before it gets exhausted."
Next year there will be an additional $10,000 set aside for travel safety, according to the Funding and Distribution chart.
Celander said the clubs need more money so they have options for how to spend it. Patrick Hyde, the secretary of the council, agreed, and said the new travel budget is the biggest improvement he has seen in his UR career because it allows more flexibility with annual and raised funds to be spent on facilities, equipment and other needs.
Until now, the school administrators have charged 40 cents per mile for two 12- passenger vans and an Expedition, which offer limited use to club sports as well as outside organizations such as the debate team, according to Alec Smith, treasurer of the council and former crew team president.
"Renting a charter bus can cost a team up to $4,000, and students caravanning pose a huge risk," said Smith.
Four to five UR teams travel across the country, and a few have gone to national tournaments, but more teams would be able to go with more transportation funding, according to Gill.
Elizabeth Simpson, the vice president of the council and president of the Women's Water Polo team, said: "The (College of) Notre Dame water polo team travels to the West Coast every spring break and when they come back to the East Coast, they have so much more experience and beat all the East Coast teams€¦UR teams are competitive but they can't win districts or nationals without travel funding."
The women's water polo team has been able to travel to Puerto Rico, the University of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida and Tennessee in recent years, according to Simpson. As Celander found out shortly after arriving at UR, teams such as ice hockey require individuals to pay $1,000 dues so that they can have opportunities to travel to places such as Atlanta, Florida, Arizona and Pittsburgh.
Only when all of the Sports Club funding is exhausted are teams able to seek other resources for money, according to Hyde. The Richmond Dean's Office funded the men's rugby team to travel to regional championships, he said. Increasing funding and support is "always difficult" but it is becoming easier because the large percent of students involved makes club sports more visible to the administration, Roberts said. He says that the administration realizes the benefits of club sports to the university, and is satisfied with their support.
"Tom Roberts is bringing about attention to sports clubs around the university," Gill said. "The publicity is showing the influence club sports play on campus."
Gill says that the current funds are finally reaching an adequate level where every club gets represented fairly based on how much work they put in, and the university is "very supportive" in encouraging them to continue growing.
Amelia Wolfe, the recreation and wellness office manager, said that quality club sports that offer opportunities to travel and compete at more intense levels are extremely important in terms of students deciding on UR and retaining them.
Gill said club sports are becoming "more and more essential" for incoming students, most of whom were varsity athletes in high school and want the opportunity to continue playing without the stress of a collegiate varsity team.
"Some kids won't even consider a school without a club program," Celander said.
Beyond the physical and mental benefits of a club team, members find a social network away from Greek life that they immediately connect with, according to Hyde. Students become closer with their teammates by working hard for a common goal, he said.
Student support is very large for club sports, and that shows with almost perfect club attendance at all meetings, said Roberts.
The most obvious sign of increasing support is the construction of the Weinstein Recreation and Wellness Center, said Roberts. This building will have a club lounge with work stations, mailboxes, storage and a place for clubs to meet and hang out, he said. It will also have a gymnasium and multipurpose room for club practices. Although UR has struggled to create a credible and strong club sports program in its recent history, the community is currently filled with club sports enthusiasts and administration and students who are dedicated to creating a great program for the future of the university, Gill said.
Now that Celander is graduating from the University of Richmond, he gets asked the frightening question for college seniors; "Where are you going to get a job?" The same thing that was on his mind while choosing colleges still has an impact on his career choice: ice hockey. Celander said that he talks about the 106 games he played at UR in every single job interview he attends. Club hockey has not only been a resume builder, he said, but a way for potential employers to get a look at his character and leadership abilities.
For many students, club sports are more than just exercise.
"Being part of a club sport is an important way to keep a balanced life€¦ to take a break from the overwhelming work most of us have," said Simpson.