As I sat around the lunch table the other day, I was in awe when faces turned my direction with curiosity about my gymnastics career.  I was shocked because the amount of recognition club sports receive at the high school is so unbelievably minimal, that for an entire conversation to be based around a club sport was incredibly unique.

Unfortunately, the questions my friends were asking me were so vague that the surprising feeling inside of me did not last for long.  Some of the questions they asked included, “Why put all the effort in now, if you don’t want to take it somewhere?” and “Don’t you want other people to see the talent you have?”  The answers to these questions are obvious, so I didn’t even receive satisfaction from the conversation, because it just made me feel like my sport was not important.

Last year as I received my first athletic letter, my joy was uncontrollable, but now I barely look at that letter with admiration.  It is a club letter, which is the letter that most people give the least respect to.  Many people don’t think that club sports require as much of the commitment and strength that school sports require, which clearly needs to be changed because the sport I do, gymnastics, requires more time, flexibility, strength, and determination then most other sports.  Club sports should receive the same recognition, appreciation and support as high school sports do.

If gymnastics were a high school sport, the amount of benefits I would receive would be ridiculous.  My teachers would understand and believe that I am missing school for a reason, colleges would recognize me, and people would come and support my competitions.  Most importantly, I would no longer be surprised when it came up in conversation instead I would think nothing of it.

Gymnastics is not the only sport that suffers from lack of recognition; equestrians also face many of the same challenges.  Sophomore Morgan White finds herself in a similar position, as she spends six days a week riding.  She rides down valley on a club team called Crystal Springs Ranch.  She does not know where she wants to go with her future yet, but after spending plenty of time riding she knows that she wants to be recognized for everything she has accomplished.

“I think having my riding be acknowledged by school is important. It shows colleges that I am passionate about something, yet I can still balance schoolwork. To play or ride varsity is also viewed as more commitment to the actual sport, because in club you just have to get your coach to say you are worthy of a letter,” White said.

Freshman Anna Patterson is also in a difficult position with a club program, ski racing. Patterson spends about twenty hours a week training with AVSC.  She is in a difficult position because she can either stay with AVSC, who she has been with her entire life, or train with the high school and receive a varsity letter.  She knows that she wants to go places with her skiing career, including the World Cup team and college, so she is trying to figure out what to do.  Should she try to receive the recognition needed, stay with her team and coaches, or both?  The obvious answer would seem to be both, but after a couple of weeks of trying to balance school work and nonstop racing, her decision may change.

After dedicating just as much, if not more, time than people participating in high school sports, the only thing club sport athletes want is to receive the same amount of attention and rewards that high school sports receive.  We don’t want to be in astonishment when a conversation comes up about our sport, and we certainly don’t want to be in a race or competition and have no one there supporting us.