SYRACUSE , N.Y. (NCC News) — Nearly eight million high schoolers compete in high school athletics in the United States, according to the NCAA. From there the odds of playing collegiate athletics dips dramatically. Only around 480-thousand compete in NCAA competition which is just six-percent of the high school population.
However, despite the slim chances of playing collegiately at any level some people still don’t want to give up the game they love. So what’s the next best option? In many cases club sports are a fun viable choice for a lot of students. Syracuse University Men’s Club Lacrosse Captain, John Eads, said he likes mixing up his heavy school schedule with something active.
“It’s kind of a change of pace as well, Eads said. “Get back out on the field and hang out with a select group of guys that I wouldn’t really know unless I played club lacrosse.”
Eads said club lacrosse allows him to get back on the field and feel free. He is also involved on-campus with extra curricular related to his major which he says always takes precedent for him. A lot of club athletes have to prioritize where club sports rank on their list. Eads admitted school and extra-curricular are currently higher on the list for him. However, Syracuse Women’s Club Lacrosse Captain, Claire McMahon, said she loves playing club and it is a top priority. However, that does not mean it makes it any easier to fit in the schedule.
“I’d say managing my time because the nine to eleven time slot gets really hard to manage when you’re going to do your homework, McMahon said.” “Because night time is when most students do their homework so sometimes you’re getting home at 11:30 and you have to go right to bed and shower.”
The life of a club athlete is one that is relatively unknown. Hundreds of Syracuse students balance the lifestyle in different ways and with different commitments. One guarantee is a lot of students still have a love for sports and are not ready to hang up the cleats just yet.
