<p>Wondering what the experiences of varsity athletes are at HC -- especially in terms of campus life. How much and what type of segregation, if any, occurs? Which teams get most/least student support? Any and all information/experiences will be appreciated!</p>
<p>People talk about the "athlete-nonathlete divide" at haverford all the time, which i think gives more attention to the situation than it deserves. Because hc's so small, i think a lot of people expect everybody to be friends, whereas there's really no such expection at a larger school. Most athletes have very similar schedules, so it's pretty easy to find a group of people to always have your meals with, hang out with, etc, if only because you're busy and free at the same times. Also, it's only natural to enjoy the company of people who share your interests. I'd say the majority of your typical athlete's closest friends are probably their teammates and/or other athletes. </p>
<p>That said, I don't think that there's "segregation" per se. I think there are definitely social circles, much like your high school probably had, but the social circles aren't formed with the intent of excluding others; they are sort of natural groupings that happen, as I said earlier, because of common interest and scheduling. There aren't impenetrable walls or anything like that, though, surrounding either athlete or non-athlete groups, so I think it can be as integrated or segregated as you make it out to be. </p>
<p>If you're a fall-sport athlete, you get a chance to meet your teammates way before customs week even starts, which is, i think, both a blessing and a curse. If you get too too caught up in all of that, it might be hard to meet some of your customs group, but it is nice to have a chance to get comfortable with some people before the rest of the class/school arrives. Speaking of customs - a lot of random connections are made during customs week and within customs groups throughout the year, so taking advantage of that definitely allows you to mix with the most diverse group (in terms of interests and social circles and what have you) you'll probably hang out with at one time in your entire time at Haverford. </p>
<p>Basically, being on a team just gives you insta-friends; what you do beyond that is up to you. Sorry this is long - i'm at work and i'm bored out of my mind. Anyway, hope it helps. </p>
<p>p.s. most student support: invariably men's basketball, and other teams get added and removed from this list as their success comes and goes</p>
<p>least supported by the student body: teams that struggle year in and year out</p>
<p>least supported by the administration: men's soccer, women's basketball - i'm most familiar with these two situations, but i'm sure other teams feel they should be added. </p>
<p>both our track teams are perennial champions in both xc and track, but i guess they don't get too much support...not really sure why - maybe just the nature of track doesn't really make it a big spectator sport.</p>
<p>Is there allowance made at Haverford for the time requirements varsity athletics entail? From speaking to alumni, I know schools like Williams basically shut down academics from 4-7 so that students with a heavy involvement in sports aren't at a disadvantage academically. Do a lot of students participate in intramural activities or would my time spent practicing be that many fewer hours of academic preparation relative to my classmates?</p>
<p>Right-O. No classes between 4-7 at haverford. And very few night classes anyway, so I wouldn't worry too much past 4 at all. The only problem you encounter are labs as an athlete. While most usually officially end at 4, some may extend an hour or two beyond that. That just means you have to coordinate with your lab partner to either come in early, or make up work at other times. Or, coordination with your coach to come a bit later on some days. You never want to be 3/4 way through an organic chemistry product isolation and feel stressed about getting to practice ;)</p>