Club sports are not getting the support they deserve from AU Athletics. In fact, Georgetown
University students get more respect than AU club sport athletes.
With the construction on Tenley Campus, club sports field space has been dramatically cut.
Many teams are not able to practice the number of hours they want. Some teams, like men’s
club soccer, can’t practice at all, even though they have upcoming games.
This is not a new problem. The construction at Tenley field has simply exacerbated the
complaints. For years now, the 25 official club sport teams have been forced to deal with the
inadequate accommodations given to them by AU athletics.
On campus, club sports are only allowed to use Jacobs turf field. This turf field is only meant
for specific sports, and with overuse can be easily damaged. With club sport teams being
forced to use it, students can get hurt and equipment can be damaged.
The lack of field space has also led to overcrowding of Jacobs Field. Sometimes
three club sports end up practicing on the turf field at once, while only two are technically signed up for the field. With multiple teams practicing on the field, injuries are even more likely to happen.
Not to mention that the lack of space can lead to chaotic and unproductive practices.
But the problem gets worse. AU club sports are commonly kicked off the field for Georgetown
students. Georgetown University sports host weekly games on Jacobs Field, and for some
unknown reason, AU Athletics prioritizes their teams over AU students.
Club sport teams are treated unfairly by the University. These are students play sports for the
love of the game, and contribute to university life in a huge way. They deserve respect from
AU Athletics. At the very least they deserve more respect than what’s given to Georgetown
athletes. -E
