By Preston Andrews, Emma Silverman, Ava Epply and Vivian Ferrari

BLOOMINGTON, IND (April 3, 2025)

On a cold, rainy Bloomington day, a group of students gathers along the Woodlawn track. This type of day would be described as “Nasty.” Yet, the students gather anyway. Geared with sticks and elbow pads, they partake in a two-hour practice in the less-than-desirable elements. None of the students are being paid, they are doing it all by choice, and they are doing it, for the love of the game.

Only 7% of athletes will play college sports, and only 2% will play Division One. Club sports keep dreams alive for college students; they provide a safe and fun outlet to not only continue to play the sport they love but to embrace a new community and smooth the transition to college.

Claire Macabee, a Freshman from Indianapolis, first heard of the club lacrosse team through a friend from her hometown, and instantly saw it as a fit, for her transition to college.

Unlike most clubs, however, club sports teams are not always welcome to all. Macabee and almost ninety other freshmen had to go through a tryout process, with just ten making the team.

“Everyone at the tryout played in high school all four years; Lacrosse varies in popularity based on the region in the U.S. Although it was tough to make the team, it is probably a little less competitive,” Macabee said in an interview.

Macabee is correct, the popularity of Lacrosse on the East Coast, nearly doubles that of the Midwest.

As a club Lacrosse athlete, Macabee noticed some differences between High School and Club Lacrosse.

“The biggest difference for me is the availability with practices and games; sometimes you have classes and projects that you just cannot miss,” she said.

This is yet another reason why club sports are so popular among students. Even at the smallest levels of college sports, Athlete sometimes comes before the student in the term “Student Athlete”. As a club sport participant, flexibility is not only provided but encouraged. The Indiana Club Lacrosse team, for example, carries a roster of 45 players, with the assumption that scheduling conflicts will arise.

So, who is in charge of such a large group of girls? Who is there to give advice on strategy, and to organize practice?

IU Club Lacrosse does not have a Coach, but rather a President. Macabee claims that the Hoosiers as one of the few club programs in the country without a Coach. Although this is completely different than what all players experienced in high school, and a majority of their Lacrosse lives, Macabee and the rest of the roster, do not always see it as a bad thing.

“We are captain-led, which means we rely on our Seniors and our one Sophomore captain.”

But how does student leadership work so effectively?

“I am sure a lot of people who played high school sports can relate to this, but it can be challenging with a coach, especially for girls because coaches can be very demanding, but if someone on your team is technically the coach, they understand where you are coming from and the challenges you face as a player.”

Just like the rest of us, these athletes seek advice from people who have been in their shoes. Macabee sighted the fact that the Seniors run the show. With that leadership structure in place, it allows full transparency among players and makes sure that everyone feels included not only in practices but off the field as well, something Macabee sights as key in her college transition.

“Last semester, we went to Nashville, Chicago, and Dayton, Ohio, this semester, we are going to Milwaukee, and we are going to Ohio State next week.”

When asked which trip was her favorite, Macabee’s answer did not come as a surprise.

“There are a ton of amazing memories, but the best memory I have is Nashville. Nashville is a very fun city, and to be in Nashville downtown was a very fun and exciting moment; especially as a Freshman, in my first semester to be with a bunch of girls of all different ages in such a fun place, that is my best memory.”

Do trips to Nashville, and other trips across the Midwest justify the cold, rainy, miserable practices for Macabee and other student-athletes? Sure, but that is not all that goes into it. Club sports at Indiana give athletes who otherwise would have to give up on the game they love and have played since they were young, a few more precious years with the sport; and are a fun, creative outlet, for students to make friends, and play sports, and what could be better than that?