Come as you are and try a new sport
By MEGAN JOSEPH — sports@theaggie.org
Did you play a sport in high school or have you been interested in exploring or trying out a new sport? Well, UC Davis has just the thing for you. There are over 30 different recreational sports for students, faculty and school affiliates to get involved in through the UC Davis Rec One Sports Pass.
Participants have the option between competitive teams, which compete usually once a week, or recreational teams which allow players the freedom to decide when they want to play. Both options offer players a way to stay active and connect with others.
Additionally, players have the opportunity to compete in one of the three types of leagues for each sport: CoRec, Women and Open. All three leagues have both levels of competition but will also offer participants the chance to play with their friends no matter their gender identity.
Leagues for each sport are about one month of competition with each team playing one game per week. At the end of the four weeks, teams will be ranked by performance and seeded for playoffs. Once in the playoffs, the teams compete for two weeks to determine the league champion. These leagues can range from 5-on-5 basketball and outdoor 8-on-8 soccer to 4-on-4 grass volleyball and 7-on-7 ultimate frisbee.
If one month of playing for a larger league isn’t enticing to you, UC Davis also offers another type of competition called mini leagues. These competitions are essentially smaller versions of full leagues with three weeks of competition and two weeks of playoffs. Mini leagues are less strict with participation requirements and offer players an alternative to the more intense regular league games. Some of the mini leagues available are 5-on-5 tube polo, tennis and blindfold bocce ball.
On the other side of the spectrum, UC Davis also offers tournaments for many different sports. These are smaller competitions that range from a couple of hours to a couple of days. These competitions are held for various sports and activities such as spike ball, badminton and even poker palooza. In order to play in the tournaments, you must complete registration online before showing up to play.
In addition to joining leagues and playing in tournaments, UC Davis offers lessons and resources for students and affiliates to learn how to play the sport. You can join the Archery Club on Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. on Howard Field to learn the archery basics and get a chance to shoot a target with a bow and arrow. At only $10 per class for students and $20 for non-students, it’s a great way to branch out and try something new.
Moreover, if you have ever wanted to try gymnastics, classes are taught by the UC Davis gymnastics team on Mondays from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. at Hickey Gym. Similarly to archery, the class fee is only $10 for students and $15 for non-students. There is no limit to the amount of classes an individual can sign up for, and it is a beginner class with no experience necessary.
Lastly, UC Davis also offers tennis lessons on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and Fridays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The class is designed for beginner and intermediate players and provides rackets to players who do not already have one. The class is also taught by teachers and coaches directly from the UC Davis tennis team and program.
So, if you are interested in trying a new activity or are looking to fine-tune sports you already play, the freedom and flexibility of intramural sports at UC Davis may make it the choice for you.
Written by: Megan Joseph — sports@theaggie.org
