For many student-athletes, the dream of playing at the NCAA level ends after high school. With only about 6% making it to the next level, where do the rest go? At Arizona State University, club sports provide a competitive and rewarding alternative—yet they often go unnoticed.
At Arizona State University (ASU), more students and people are aware of Sun Devil intramural sports than club sports, showing that the school’s various successful club sports teams deserve more recognition and coverage.
ASU offers its students a wide range of club and intramural sports. Students looking to play just for fun with their friends can join intramural basketball, softball, or flag football leagues. On the other hand, those seeking to play a new sport or continue playing their childhood sport in a more competitive and higher-stakes manner can join one of the school’s more than 50 sports clubs such as club baseball, volleyball, men’s lacrosse and English Equestrian.
While its intramural sports are low-key leagues run by the campus’ fitness centers featuring ASU students competing against one another, Sun Devil club sports are more organized. Not only does every team have a hierarchy of club leadership, but there is an executive board of student leaders as well as a few professional staff advisors.
Rachel Marsh, a junior on ASU’s English Equestrian team has enjoyed her experience so much that she now serves as the President of Sport Clubs, ensuring that all of these teams get the resources they need while making sure to “keep some constraints in processes”.
“Some pros of Sport Clubs are the community in clubs and between clubs, getting to represent the university and getting to continue to compete across the country…” Marsh said through Instagram. “Sport Clubs are truly something special and have had the biggest impact on my college experience by far.”
Many of these club sports teams practice nearly every day of the week and travel around the country to compete in tournaments or games against other schools. Basically, club sports give student-athletes a similar opportunity as NCAA-affiliated teams, but without the added pressure of more practices and time spent playing the sport as well as freedom from NCAA regulations.
In some cases, like with ASU men’s lacrosse, the team is run like it is NCAA affiliated as its coach Justin Straker holds daily afternoon practices to ensure his players are ready for their tough competition in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA).
Senior co-captain Matthew Decker has relished the totality of his collegiate lacrosse experience. Over the past four years, he has grown on and off the field and witnessed the competitiveness of men’s club lacrosse gradually increase as the MCLA league develops.
“I think club sports should get a lot more recognition just because it is super competitive, like the way we prepare for games now, I think we are pretty similar to Division I teams,” Decker said on a phone call. “We have had Division I guys come and play on our team so they know both sides and they said it is pretty similar. I would 100% recommend club sports a lot more than it is being advertised at the moment.”
Although Decker’s team may be run like an NCAA squad, one key difference is that he and his teammates can not profit from NIL, a phenomenon that has uprooted and caused widespread changes in Division I sports.
For those who believe NIL is harming the spirit of college sports, club teams may offer a more authentic alternative. Additionally, NIL is one less thing club sports athletes have to worry about. However, that does not stop individuals like Decker from manifesting NIL transferring to club sports so players like him can benefit.
Maybe he can take a page from fellow ASU student Seneca Samiley, who is the vice president of ASU’s top club volleyball team and a brand ambassador with on-campus Acai shop Ever Bowl.
Presented with an offer to play Division II volleyball, Samiley instead chose to stay close to home and do the club volleyball route, a decision that allows her to have fun in a competitive setting.
“I think that it’s actually better for me at least, because we practice three times a week and then we’d have weekend tournaments, which typically includes two days of play, plus additional travel time… So I actually have more time to work and be involved with other clubs and have other jobs,” Samiley said in a phone call.
As collegiate athletics continue to evolve, club sports deserve more recognition—not just at ASU, but nationwide. They provide the perfect balance of competition, camaraderie, and personal growth, allowing students to pursue their passion for the game without the pressures of NCAA regulations or the distractions of NIL deals. At their core, club sports keep the spirit of college athletics alive: playing for the love of the game.
