Club Sports Competitive Levels

Feeds
Send to a Friend
Print this Page
Our mission for club sports at Lehigh is to provide a high quality, enjoyable and student-engaged athletics experience. Our programs promote student leadership, teamwork, learning, and competitiveness across a range of intensity and commitment levels. Club Sports at Lehigh are organized in general around the five commitment levels listed below. Movement between Club Varsity status and or other Club Sport status is probable as club leadership changes and evolves over time.


• Focus is competition at the highest level and student commitment, including expanded practice and extramural competitions on a regular and formal basis.
• Club has league or national affiliation that allows for league, regional or national championships at the Club Sports level.
• Competition schedule and success determines league post season tournament, regional or championship bids.
• A certified and insured volunteer or paid head coach may be required as determined by the league or association.
• A sustained financial model that supports all the projected annual expenses.
• Has history of commitment and success to sustain a higher level of competition.
• Conditional attainment through a formal application process.

PLEASE NOTE:
The pursuit and/or attainment to the Club Varsity Sport level is not a stepping stone for the program to be elevated to Intercollegiate varsity status - the intention is to offer club competition at the highest level and student commitment, including expanded practice and extramural competitions on a regular and formal basis within the club sport model.  
Club Highly Competitive:

• Focus is primarily on outside community competition with other schools.
• Club may have league or national affiliation that allows for league, regional or national championships at the Club Sports level.
• Practices are formal yet less regular with adherence to the needed number of scheduled contests to fulfill league requirements for post season tournaments and/or championships.
Club Competitive:

• Focus is primarily on campus (intra-squad) and outside community (tournament) competitions with other schools for allowance of participants to test their skill levels.
• The provision of instruction and guidance between experienced participants and less experienced participants and encourage proper techniques in a structured environment.
• Practices may be informal and irregular with limited scheduled contests
• Typically there are no league affiliations or requirements for this level.
Club Recreational:

• Focus is on fun and social gathering for players of all skill levels offers the provision of a minimal schedule of games within the local community or intra-squad matches which serve to create an opportunity for personal growth and camaraderie among teammates.
Spirit Groups:

• Perform at athletic, campus and community events as determined by the head coach/student leader
• Meeting the specific talent qualifications/standards (tryouts) as determined by the student leadership and coach
• A liaison from the Athletics Department must be consulted for all varsity athletic event appearances
• A volunteer or paid coach (as required by the league or organization)

The primary differences between Club Sports and Varsity Intercollegiate Sports are the funding sources associated with participation and the wide range of commitment levels regarding time and competitiveness. At the intercollegiate level, the institution has made the commitment to sponsor the sport under NCAA and Patriot League Division I guidelines. A Club Sport is one that is initiated and must be sustained by student interest. The club is self-directed under the Club Sports guidelines with a combination of resources from student senate funds, dues and/or their own fundraising initiatives. In addition to club sports, there are a number of student Spirit Groups that are governed by the club sport policies and expectations. These groups serve to provide entertainment and promote campus spirit at Lehigh University varsity athletics contests, as well as for campus and local community events.

For more information please contact the Club Sport Director, Barbara Turanchik at bat0@lehigh.edu