Each club sports team can be characterized by its unique make-up of hard work, competitive spirit and fun experiences. The men's club soccer team is no exception.
From their impressive record in the past two seasons to their triumphant win in the regional tournament, this team displays all of these unique characteristics.
The men's club soccer team, whose main season is in the fall, has undergone significant changes in the past two years. They won the first ever Regional Tournament in 2001 and continued their tradition by winning again this year in Columbus, Ga. They have traveled to the national tournament for two years in a row and finished this year ranked 18th in the nation.
"We hope to continue winning Regionals and make a better showing at Nationals in years to come," team president Patrick Selph said.
This year, the team logged an impressive winning record, 15-5, over the course of the season. They play other schools around the area during the regular season, but since the University does not have facilities for them to use, the team must travel to play all of their games. They have played one home game in the past two years.
This scheduling problem results in a great deal of traveling for the players, about one weekend per month. The team must also fundraise to cover the expense of providing its own transportation. According toSelph, the team receives some funding from the University, but not enough to cover all expenses.
The team's main fundraiser is through the try-outs they hold at the beginning of the fall semester, when 70 to 100 men compete for an average of 10 open spots. However, due to recent budget cuts, the team lost some of its University funding and has to begin other fundraising projects to make up the difference.
The team's impressive record does not come just from their three practices a week, but from a strong determination. When the bus they rented to take them to the regional tournament at 2 a.m. never showed up, the team piled into individual cars and drove 10 hours to Columbus, Ga. on little-to-no sleep and still managed to win the tournament.
This team is also unique in its organization. There is no coach, unlike many of the other teams that they play club sports. Instead, in the spring, the team elects a president, vice president and treasurer to each serve a one-year term. This group of leaders is responsible for the organization and management of the team. This year, Selph put together the team's schedule by calling other schools and arranging games.
The team typically plays a few games in the area, at James Madison University and Virginia Tech. The team also travels to a tournament held at Clemson, where they placed second out of 24 teams this year, playing six games within a 36 hour period. The men's club soccer team then finishes off the season with the national and regional tournaments. The future success of the team in these competitions seems promising.
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