Jumbo Magazine - Fall 2023

CLUB SPORTS

EXPLORE THE VAST ATHLETICS UNIVERSE AT TUFTS

In the early September hubbub of the club fair, where people flock to the busy Academic Quad, bright-eyed and curious, be sure to check out the many athletics and sports teams spread throughout—options of which range from rock climbing to quidditch to lacrosse. For students who are looking to stay active, connect with upperclassmen, or try something new, joining a club sports team is often a great place to start, especially since many of them welcome people of all experience levels. Here, Jumbos discuss their time on ultimate frisbee and water polo.

BY RAGA CHILAKAMARRI ’23

For those looking for more casual athletic engagements than varsity sports while still joining a more structured community than intramurals, there are an array of club sports teams to explore, two of which are the ultimate frisbee and water polo teams.

While a casual frisbee toss perhaps emerges as a quintessential college cliché, at Tufts, the ultimate frisbee community is vibrant and burgeoning, with multiple competitive levels, fun traditions, and quirky social events planned all throughout the year. For female-identifying and non-binary students interested in playing ultimate frisbee, alongside the varsity-level team, the no-cuts Women’s B team exemplifies an inclusive space for learning and growing through sports, especially since every year a crop of players with zero frisbee experience eagerly join in. Ultimate frisbee is a unique game in that there are no referees, calling for a more communicative environment on the field, where the sportsmanship or “spirit of the game” is highly valued. Throughout the off-season fall practices, captains run casual skill sessions, drills, and scrimmages to help new players get acclimated with the rules and basics. The commitment is predominantly opt-in: you can be considered a member of the team if you attend one practice every week or one practice every month. And even within the BWO team itself, players can select a more competitive level by frequently dedicating themselves to practices to earn greater game time and playing in the local and regional tournaments. Moreover, there’s a large community to tap into with opportunities to play in mixed-gender pick-up games, Catan nights in the dining halls, or small workout pods that go to the gym together.

Club water polo, similarly, is a sport that attracts students with varied experience levels, from varsity swimmers looking to break into a different team environment to people who never swam competitively before. The captains coordinate the team’s participation in three tournaments each semester and they were recently ranked in the top club water polo teams across the country. With a fairly opendoor commitment, game time is often proportional to your attendance at practice, but the overall focus is on cultivating fun rather than winning. All you need is a bathing suit, a towel, and a willingness to tread water.