* General * Aquatics * Club Sports * Intramural Sports * Fitness *

What are Club Sports?
Club Sports provide opportunities for students, faculty, and staff with similar interests to participate in various sport and recreational activities. Club Sports bridge the gap between intramural and intercollegiate athletics by providing competition at specialized levels, participation in tournaments and opportunities to practice. Although some clubs remain solely recreational, most are highly competitive.

Club privileges include the use of the University of Wisconsin-Madison name, a small budget allotted by the Division of Recreational Sports, and athletic facilities when available. Most clubs supplement their budget through membership fees and fundraising.

What Clubs Sports does University of Wisconsin-Madison have?
Click here for club descriptions.

How are Club Sports developed?
A club sport usually develops when several students express a desire to participate in a particular sport activity. A desire to fill the need for a uniquely structures sport activity that may be competitive, recreational, or instructional in nature. To be recognized as a Club Sport, a group must provide a valid service to the University of Wisconsin-Madison and must adhere to the governing policies established by Club Sport Director, the Division of Recreational Sports and Student Organizations Office. The club sport must have a national or international governing body.

Can a member of a club sports play on an intramural team and/or varsity team etc.?
Intramural Sports teams have restrictions regarding the use of club sports players participating in their corresponding Intramural Sport.  Varsity teams have their own restrictions regarding participation and those athletes should contact their coaches.

How do I become a member?
Individual sport clubs establish their own membership requirements, dues and club activities. All programs are available to students, faculty and staff of University of Wisconsin-Madison. Interested persons should contact the club's president for specific membership information.

Do I have to be an expert player to join a club?
No, most clubs are open to all levels of competition/participation. Some clubs do have try-outs for a traveling or "A" team, but they usually have a "B" team an sometimes a "C" or "D" team as well for other levels of competition or participation.

How competitive are your competitive Club Sports?
University of Wisconsin-Madison clubs regularly attend their sports league regional championships and several have attended the National Championship Tournaments for their respective sports in recent years.  Men’s and Women’s Volleyball, Women’s Ice Hockey, Figure Skating, and Badminton have all ranked nationally in the recent year.

Do I have to have my own equipment to join a club?
Depends on the club and you. Most clubs have the equipment needed to participate; some activities you will need to have your own equipment. Contacting the Club Representative or visiting the Club website is the best way to answer this question.

What does it cost to join a club?
It varies for each club, but they try to keep membership costs to a minimum by doing fundraising to help support travel expenses, etc. Clubs also receive funding through the sources listed in the next question. For individual club costs, please attend the organizational meeting or contact the club coach or officer through the information provided by the Club Sports Program. In many cases, personal expenses may incur due to the activity and/or supplies/equipment needed. If one chooses to participate in a club where personal expenses occur, it is the individual’s responsibility to pay any debts to the club. If a participant is delinquent in re-payment to the club, the club has the ability to place a hold on the participants records and enrollment with the proper paperwork.

How are clubs funded?
Clubs are funded through the following means:

• Club Sport allocation
• Donations to Club Sports
• Club Fundraising projects
• Club dues or membership fees
• Some out-of-pocket expenses

Do I have to travel with the Club?
Some clubs do play other colleges and universities around the region and compete in national tournaments.  The time commitment varies by club and travel is not necessary, but those decisions are left to the club officers. 

Where have the Club Sports traveled to participate?
Club Sports have traveled to many places across the country including Nevada, California, Texas, Ohio, Michigan, and Florida.