A peek into sports outside of UC Davis athletics
By DANIELLE WIRNOWSKI— sports@theaggie.org
Davis might seem like a small town — with a majority of the 66,850 year-round residents being students, according to the 2020 census — but there are still sports opportunities for all individuals outside of the university. These can be found in local athletics, in both professional teams and youth leagues.
The City of Davis is often referred to as “the college town of Davis” and “the biking capital of America;” thus, Davis offers many opportunities for individuals who want to further their biking skills. The Davis Bike Club allows individuals of any age to join, with membership ranging from competition racing to just casual rides. With many ride options offered throughout the week, there is something for everyone.
Other sporting teams found in Davis are the High Wheelers, Football Club Davis (FC Davis), Team Davis, Davis Lacrosse Association (DLA) and many more.
FC Davis was founded in 2017, giving the City of Davis its own semi-pro soccer team. While it launched the men’s team first, the women’s team soon followed. Team Davis is a non-profit organization to help those who have “developmental, intellectual and/or physical disabilities” participate in “athletic, social, recreational and educational activities,” according to their website. DLA is a part of the Nor-Cal Youth Lacrosse League (NCJLA) and has youth teams for both boys and girls. It has U10, U12 and U14 teams — with future hopes of establishing a U8 team, according to their website — as well as a clinic.
The Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers, an independent baseball team founded in Davis in 2024, is a part of the Pioneer League — a professional baseball league in the western United States. Despite being currently located in Marysville, they still maintain a community benefits agreement with UC Davis, providing employment opportunities and youth programs.
“People don’t realize that you can come to Davis and get a really great academic degree, but also have a really great sports experience,” Rachel Bronson, the current community relations manager for the Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers, said.
During their time in Davis, the High Wheelers were a major part of the community during the summer, sponsoring and organizing local collaborations and events.
“We used local partners, we partnered with Woodstocks, the university, we used the university athletic trainers — it was really like one big family,” Bronson said.
Beyond the High Wheelers, the Davis community still has plenty of other sports opportunities for individuals to get involved in athletic programs and recreational teams in the city. On the student level, local high schools, middle schools and elementary schools also offer opportunities for individuals to get involved. For Bella Gonfiotti, a high school student in Davis, her club team and high school team were both avenues through which she was able to get involved in the community.
“I don’t think I would have interacted with people that were so much older than me and on a regular basis like that,” Gonfiotti said. “There’s opportunities where there wouldn’t be elsewhere. It got me engaged with people around my age, older and outside of my school.”
Sophia Mattingly, a professor of education at UC Davis and Gonfiotti’s mother, noted how participation in community sports teams is a traditional part of Davis culture.
“The community values exercise [and] time outside,” Mattingly said. “It is something that the [Davis] community comes together about all the time.”
As the “biking capital of California,” the City of Davis is bustling with activity, offering various opportunities for participation in athletics both in and outside of the university. More information for individuals wanting to get involved can be found on the City of Davis website, under the sports tab. Individuals are encouraged to get involved in sports at any age in Davis, whether it’s through youth clubs or semi-pro teams.
Written by: Danielle Wirnowski — sports@theaggie.org
