Essay About High School Students And Schools Sports Teams

English 1050 – Intramural, Club, or Varsity; Which one Is for You?
Drew PettyEnglish 1050Essay #3November 6, 2013Intramural, Club, or Varsity; Which One is for You?        There are millions of high school students that play on their schools sports teams every year. Just about all of them dream to play the sport they love in college someday. Unfortunately, many of the kids either do not get recruited or they do not have the skills required to play in college. Now there are often up to three levels of participation. The three-tiered system includes Varsity, Club, and Intramural. These organizations offer a great opportunity for students to continue playing the sport they love.         What is the difference between intramural, club, and varsity sports teams in college? Intramural leagues are created by individuals at a college to give all students the chance to participate at a low-level of competition, without a strict commitment level (Dorn 1). Teams do not play other colleges, rather they play teams from the same school. Intramural teams offered in most schools include basketball and soccer, and can even include activities such as dodge ball, ultimate Frisbee, inner-tube water polo, and even video games. Some of these sports are offered at different levels so that students can be more or less competitive. Intramural leagues are the least competitive of the three.        According to the Campus Explorer, club sports are intercollegiate athletic teams that are funded by students opposed to varsity athletics, which are funded by the NCAA . “The University of Connecticut aptly describes club sports as the bridge between intramural and varsity athletics. They’re for student-athletes who want to compete against other talented athletes, but who want an alternative to intensely committed and highly regulated varsity sports” (Campus Explorer1)The New York times said “An estimated two million college students play competitive club sports compared with about four hundred and thirty thousand involved in athletics governed by the NCAA and the NAIA” (Pennington 2). AthletesWomen’s BasketballMen’s BasketballBaseballMen’s Ice HockeyFootballMen’s soccerHigh School Athletes452,929546,335470,67136,2631,071,775358,935High School senior athletes129,408156,096134,47710,361306,221102,553NCAA Athletes15,09616,57128,7673,97361,25219,797NCAA Freshman Positions4,3134,7358,2191,13517,5015,655NCAA Senior Athletes3,3553,6826,39388313,6124,398NCAA Senior Athletes Drafted32446003325075Percentage: High School To NCAA3.3%3.0%6.1%11.0%5.7%5.5%Percentage: NCAA To Professional1.0%1.2%9.4%3.7%1.8%1.7%Percentage: High School To Professional0.02%0.03%0.45%0.32%0.08%0.07%This graph shows the slim chance that one actually has to play a varsity college sport. Club sports offer students who enjoy participating in sports a chance to continue playing.