<p>Are there any sports at Harvard that a total newcomer can join?</p>
<p>I know that there are intramural sports, but is there intramural horseback riding and/or dancing? Those are the two sports that I really want to participate in, but I only have swimming experience :P </p>
<p>Also, does Harvard have a polo team?</p>
<p>Thanks for your help :)</p>
<p>anyone???</p>
<p>The easiest walk-on team is crew. See:</p>
<p>[HEAD</a> OF THE CHARLES '06: Walking the Walk | The Harvard Crimson](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2006/10/20/head-of-the-charles-06-walking/]HEAD”>HEAD OF THE CHARLES '06: Walking the Walk | Sports | The Harvard Crimson)</p>
<p>[Walk-Ons</a> Climb the Crimson Ranks | The Harvard Crimson](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.com/series/head-of-the-charles-09/article/2009/11/10/hotc-2009-mens-walkons/]Walk-Ons”>http://www.thecrimson.com/series/head-of-the-charles-09/article/2009/11/10/hotc-2009-mens-walkons/)</p>
<p>OP,</p>
<p>Google is your friend: </p>
<p>For recreation/intramurals: [The</a> Official Website of Harvard University Athletics: GoCrimson.com](<a href=“http://recreation.gocrimson.com/landing/index]The”>Harvard University Recreation - Official Athletics Website) and </p>
<p>Harvard polo: [Harvard</a> University - Home](<a href=“http://www.harvardpolo.com/]Harvard”>http://www.harvardpolo.com/)</p>
<p>Here is info on student dance groups: [Office</a> for the Arts at Harvard: Arts Groups](<a href=“http://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/groups/index.php?category=Dance]Office”>http://ofa.fas.harvard.edu/groups/index.php?category=Dance)</p>
<p>D joined the Ballroom team in September. She had never done ballroom before though she had been a dancer. Almost all have never done ballroom and most had never done dance.</p>
<p>Harvard does have men’s and women’s polo teams, for those with equestrian experience.</p>
<p>How are the current Polo players percieved at Harvard?</p>
<p>Are they seen at WASPY and/or belong to exclusive final clubs (Porc etc) - I ask b/c I don’t really like that scene, but want to know in honesty if this is the scene in general there for polo players. </p>
<p>I ask from a mens perspective.</p>
<p>Because the polo team practices and competes so far from campus (45 minute+ drive), I don’t think there is really much knowledge of the team, much less judgements by others.</p>
<p>Ah okay, thanks :)</p>
<p>I don’t mind those who are involved in that culture I should make clear, but I just don’t want to be caught in the ‘exclusive/rich’ clique that most people create about Polo players, as I’m far from that. </p>
<p>Is Polo respected as a sport at Harvard, given its not varsity yet?</p>
<p>Indeed I heard that training if off-campus, but I was told (by a freshman admittedly) all the Preppy/WASP crowd follow/respect the sport quite a lot.</p>
<p>Harvard has so many teams, clubs, and organizations that everyone is busy with their own lives. A few polo players may have families who can afford a string of polo ponies, most don’t. Polo is seen as a club, not a varsity sport… If you want the respect of the big, strong, burly athletes, crew is the way to go. Practices and indoor erging are grueling, and your place in a boat is determined strictly on your measured strength and endurance. The rowers are more visible as they are on the Charles every day and coming to and from the boat house.</p>
<p>Is crew selection based on erg times (for heavyweight freshman say)? If so, what should one be hitting do you know, for a shot at the seat?</p>
<p>If you ask that question over in the “Athletic Recruit” forum, under specialty admissions, there are people who can give you exact erg times for your age and size.</p>
<p>Thanks. </p>
<p>Are the crew guys known for going into certain final clubs etc, and behave in a certain way (i.e. jocky, waspy etc) do you know?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Is there such a thing as “varsity” polo? It’s not a sport that’s sponsored by the NCAA.</p>
<p>A sport can be designated “Varsity” at some colleges even though it is not NCAA sanctioned, like rugby, crew and sailing, for examples. The “Varsity” label generally denotes that it is funded by the university, as opposed to “club” teams, which are often funded by the participants or other donors. That is how I understand it, anyway.</p>
<p>Good Crimson article on the polo team: [Grabbing</a> the Reins | The Harvard Crimson](<a href=“http://www.thecrimson.harvard.edu/article/2009/4/8/grabbing-the-reins-nicholas-b-snow/]Grabbing”>http://www.thecrimson.harvard.edu/article/2009/4/8/grabbing-the-reins-nicholas-b-snow/)</p>
<p>I had a friend who was on the female team - she’s definitely not a snob.</p>
<p>OP- The crew teams include all sorts of people: internationals from Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand; east and west coasters, as well as mid-westerners. Their social inclinations are widely varied, some are in clubs, some not. I don’t know quite how you are defining WASPiness, or if it is even relevant today.</p>
<p>Do any of you know what it is like to walk-on to Harvard swimming? How do you try out? Time trials? Practices?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Why not contact the appropriate coach to learn about the process?
[Harvard</a> Athletics - GoCrimson.com](<a href=“http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/mswimdive/coaches/index]Harvard”>http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/mswimdive/coaches/index)
[Swimming</a> & Diving - Women’s: Harvard Athletics - GoCrimson.com](<a href=“http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/wswimdive/coaches/index]Swimming”>http://www.gocrimson.com/sports/wswimdive/coaches/index)</p>