Ice Hockey/Sports culture at Williams?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Williams College
1

Does anyone know if recreational/club ice hockey at Williams is a thing? I know it’s a varsity sport, but I have never played hockey competitively so I don’t have high hopes on getting on the team. I was recently admitted to Williams early through QuestBridge, so I could not have been recruited for anything.

I’m not even physically at the school yet and I already feel something like a “peer” pressure to get involved in sports later on campus. I’m afraid my social life won’t be as good if I don’t play hockey (or some sport) at Williams (since sports is so big there), yet physically at the moment I am quite weak (after not returning to hockey classes for a year due to concussion that severely impacted my grades). Some other circumstances make returning to hockey difficult for me. Is this fear valid?

To add, I’m wondering if sports could essentially be my safe space from the far-leftists that seem to be “terrorizing” the campus, from what I’ve heard from others. I’m not a big fan of lack of independent thought, and I kind of wish I knew this before applying, but oh well.

2

Williams is part of the NESCAC, a very competitive athletic league. Most, of not all, of their ice hockey players were either recruits starting in their sophomore year, or played one or two years of Junior A hockey post high school. Very, very competitive.

I don’t see anything about a club team at Williams, but I didn’t look very hard. Given the size of the school, I doubt there is any intramural hockey - unless there are two teams which play each other and over again. A club team there is your best bet.

3

The Williams team has very few players who didn’t go to hockey prep schools (like Shattuck St. Mary’s or Culver), and maybe only one from a public school – in Duluth! Those kids could skate as soon as they could walk. You will not make the team.

Club hockey in the northeast is extremely competitive. Ex, SUNY buffalo has 2 Club teams but no NCAA team. Williams does not list a club team.

Intramurals may have hockey. https://student-life.williams.edu/student-involvement/2/#intramurals

4

Congratulations on your admission!

I can’t answer your specific question better than those who have posted above. Here are the names of some people you could contact to ask about intramural or club sports: https://athletics.williams.edu/directory/

But I can add one thought that may be reassuring to you. The two somewhat contradictory stereotypes you’ve heard- that everyone plays a sport and that everyone is a ‘far-leftist’- are both just that— stereotypes.

(This concern about leftists is new. Williams always was stereotyped as more conservative than Vassar, Wesleyan, or Swarthmore. It was seen as the school of people who went on to become investment bankers, consultants, and CEO’s— as huge numbers still do. The sporty stereotype has been around much longer.) Yes, there are a lot of varsity athletes, to field all those winning teams. And yes, there are some very vocal activists/protesters. But there are lots of people who don’t classify as either.

2,200 kids on campus have diverse interests. You’ll find like-minded friends and interact with differently minded ones, too.

Take a look at the activities list. Go to the list of registered student organizations (Current RSO’s) near the bottom of this webpage:
https://student-life.williams.edu/student-involvement/student-organizations/

There are many possible activities to get involved in that will help you meet people. And you’ll get to know your entrymates and your Ephventure groupmates.

Believe it or not, last year there was even a club for people who have had concussions: the Concussed Cows!

And you can start a club of your own, too, if you want.

This is the weekend before finals, but besides doing what sounds like a crazy amount of work, my son squeezed in four different social events with four very different types of groups this weekend. Only one of those four groups was sport-oriented. There always is something going on!

Best wishes for a wonderful four years!

5

Williams’ club sport opportunities do not appear to include ice hockey:

https://athletics.williams.edu/recreation/club-sports/

Williams does indicate that winter intramural activities are available, though the particular sports are not mentioned on its site:

https://student-life.williams.edu/student-involvement/2/#intramurals

6

There may be something less formal through Intramural sports. One way to check would be to see if the rink schedule is online. There is a phone #.

I see Broomball on the winter schedule!

7

Interested hockey players should consider encouraging Williams to join UNYCHL, in which club teams from nearby colleges in New York and Vermont compete.

https://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/default.asp?u=UNYCHL&s=hockey&p=about