Buies Creek, N.C.- Although Club Sports are relatively new at Campbell University, the venue has grown to include 12 clubs and over 200 athletes in the past two years. The athletes compete in everything from men’s and women’s basketball to cricket. In fact, three of the teams have even been tagged for national competition.
The men’s and women’s swimming teams just came back from regional competition in which the men took fourth place and the women seventh place. Campbell’s Kristian Hellem won the regional championship in the 100 backstroke and the 200 IM. The swim teams now move on to national competition at Miami University in Ohio on April 4-5. The teams have competed at Penn State University, George Mason University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There are currently 25 members on the swim teams.
Also going to national competition at North Carolina State University April 24-26 is the nine-member men’s basketball team. The team holds victories over Mercer University, the University of North Georgia, Shaw University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and High Point University.
John Owens, president of the Club Sports Council, said club members are responsible for the total operation of the organization.
“We do everything, from scheduling meets, funding activities, doing the required paperwork and dealing with safety issues,” Owens said.
Each club has CPR and First Aid certification and each member must complete a total of 15 hours of community service, a requirement that was self-imposed by Club Sports members.
“These are the things we pride ourselves on,” said Owens. “Within two years, we’ve gone from zero to 12 clubs and qualified for regional and national competitions. It is a pretty significant accomplishment.”
Campbell University Club Sports are open to everyone and includes men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming, table tennis, cricket, soft ball, men’s and women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer.