<p>Do the sport teams have tryouts? I've participated in a sport for nine years, but have stopped for the last two years or so, so my skills are very rusty. I started up again recently, but my body's really out of shape... are there tryouts for the teams (in other words, are there cuts)?</p>
<p>Depends on the team and level (varsity, club). What are you interested in?</p>
<p>I’m interested in both, but I’m kind of clueless as to what the difference is…</p>
<p>A varsity team participates in the NCAA athletics at Smith (we’re D-3, but still part of NCAA). It’s usually a team that plays one of the major sports like basketball or swiming and the team’s costs are paid out of the Athletic Department budget. A club team is a team that does not participate in the NCAA, though they may participate in their own non NCAA athletic conference or league. The budget for club teams (I believe) comes out of the student activity funds, just like the budget for a regular club. I think the athletic department pays the coaches (or they coach on a volunteer basis and get paid to do other work on/around campus or at nearby schools), but things like uniforms and travel costs the club has to raise additional money for. </p>
<p>Club sports tend to be more relaxed and they almost never have try outs. Some sports will have both a varsity team and a club team (I know that Equestrian has this), so the more serious athletes will participate in the varsity team, those that are less skilled or have less time do the club sport. Sometimes a club team will have just its best members competing in competitions, other times everyone gets to compete. </p>
<p>Varsity sports are usually more time consuming (practice every day, sometimes more than once a day, plus games) and I think most of them do have try outs, though I don’t know how the try outs work. During the season, you really don’t have time for other activities, and during the off-season you often have required training. But some club sports can be just as intense as the varsity sports, it usually depends how organized and established the club is. For example, rugby is a very time consuming sport because the rugby team is very serious and has been around for a while. Rugby is also very physically demanding, so you need to train quite a bit. And being on the rugby team is demanding on your liver, but that’s a side story
:-)</p>
<p>Thank you for explaining the difference! Haa, I think I’m more interested in club sports 
I’m glad that most don’t have try outs!</p>
<p>Well just keep in mind that there is not a club team for every sport. But during my last year at Smith they were in the process of starting an intramural sports league, with students playing against each other. They had one for basketball and I think one for volleyball, but I don’t know if they still do those or not.</p>
<p>Some of the more popular club sports are rugby, ultimate frisbee, fencing, ice hockey and (sorry, I have to make a plug ) the newly-formed Quidditch team, which all new Smithies should consider joining because it is beyond awesome 
</p>
<p>If you play ice hockey, you get to practice on Paradise pond in the winter when it freezes over, which I think is cool. </p>
<p>TC – I think it’s beyond hilarious that we have a Quidditch team now. I knew some very Harry Potter obsessed Smithies in my time.</p>
<p>Is there club field hockey?</p>
<p>There is not club field hockey, but the varsity team is fairly welcoming and doesn’t do too many cuts from what I’ve heard.</p>
<p>Anyone who is looking for a full listing of varsity and club sports can find it on the Smith Athletics website: [Smith</a> College Athletics -](<a href=“http://www.smithpioneers.com/]Smith”>http://www.smithpioneers.com/) If you go to the Recreation tab, they list the club sports there (though not Quidditch I notice…)</p>
<p>Howiegrange, if you’re interested, the rowing team will accept walk-ons.</p>
<p>Karen Klinger, the crew coach, was named NEWMAC Coach of the Year for 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2009. You would like her very much. And rowers have healthier livers.</p>
<p>Thank you for all your suggestions!</p>
<p>@ SmithieandProud: my sport of choice is swimming 
and you’re right, there is no club team for swimming… I checked out the link you gave. For some reason, when I click on intramurals, the site directs me back to the main athletics page. Are intramurals the same as competing with other schools? I am so confused. </p>
<p>@ CrewDad: Thanks! I never thought of crew before. I’ll definitely consider it.</p>
<p>Is there a club volleyball team? I would love to play varsity but I love singing and I’m afraid I might not have time for everything. Let’s say I joined an a cappella group and a chorus… would I have time in my schedule to play a varsity sport?</p>
<p>@howie – intramural sports = sports played between teams of students at the same school. i.e. students form teams and play against other students. </p>
<p>@julnim – you can find a full list of club sports on the link above, but there’s no club volleyball. I think there was intramural volleyball for a while, but I don’t know if they still do that. </p>
<p>@ both of you – Since Smith is D-3, you should not discount the possibility of being on a varsity team. I know that the swim team for example takes people of many different levels, since swimming is both an individual and a team sport. Some of their swimmers and divers are the best in their division, but some are not. You should definitely give it a try. </p>
<p>Also, if you want to find out about try outs/cutting/ability levels/time committment, go to the Smith Pioneers website and email the coach of the team you’re interested in. The coaches are very nice and would probably be happy to answer your questions.</p>
<p>@SaP: thank you! I thought so, too, but the website redirect had me confused. Thanks for your advice! I should email the coach…</p>