Texas A&M Sport Clubs: Fielding Winners, Capturing Championships
Two overall team national championships. Two single-event national championships. Twelve individual national championships. Ten conference championships. No matter how you figure it, those numbers add up to an impressive 2007-2008 showing for Texas A&M Sport Clubs.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Two overall team national championships. Two single-event national championships. Twelve individual national championships. Ten conference championships. No matter how you figure it, those numbers add up to an impressive 2007-2008 showing for Texas A&M Sport Clubs.
Of course, the barometer of the program’s success shoots even higher when you factor in these statistics: 21 of 30 clubs attended their sport’s national championship tournament, and 21 clubs were nationally ranked within the top 25 in their sport.
The year’s long list of successes was crowned by the back-to-back titles captured by the Aggie Women’s Gymnastic Club and Men’s Polo Team—repeat performances for both clubs, which were also named 2006-2007 champions. The Trap and Skeet Club’s International Skeet Team and the Archery Club’s Recurve Team won single events at their respective national championships, where each club captured an overall second place.
In all, a dozen Aggies brought home individual national championships:
The Powerlifting Club’s Alesha Summers and Tiffany McKinney dominated their weight classes. Candice Deroche won the national Women’s All-around and uneven bars championships for Women’s Gymnastics. Taekwondo Club members Marcus Ogle, Charlie Lundquist, Lauren Neubuerger and Abby Cox outfought the rest in 4 separate divisions. Brent Norwood leaped to first in the jump event at the National Collegiate Water Ski Association National Championship. the Judo Club’s Samuel Johnston powered his way to first in his category at the Judo National Collegiate Championships. Laura Kolb outshot the competition at the Association of College Unions International Clay Target National Championships, taking the Women’s Overall Championship, while Troy Kesinger came out on top in the International Skeet event, and Mimi Wolfong won the International Women’s Trap event.
Those victories are impressive, but the winner’s list doesn’t stop there. Take conference championships, for example: Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse, Men’s and Women’s Volleyball, Women’s Soccer ( these are separate teams from the varsity level- women’s volleyball and soccer teams ) Men’s and Women’s Water Polo, Women’s Gymnastics, Judo and Cycling Mountain Bike all took top honors. In addition, 45 Sport Club participants won American, conference or tournament honors, including a number of Sport Club Aggies who have been invited to compete on all-star teams: Tim Meyers ( 2008 World Archery Team ), Stacy Bridges ( USA Under-20 Women’s Rugby National Team ), Brea Hughes ( Under-23 Women’s Rugby National Team ) and Alesha Summers and Tiffany McKinney ( Team USA, Junior World Powerlifting Competition in South Africa ).
With such success, it would appear the Texas A&M Sport Club Association is more than living up to its commitment and its mission statement to “provide the ability to be competitive [beginning next year, in 33 different sports] against clubs from other collegiate institutions at the state, regional or national level.”
But championships, titles and rankings only tell half the story. While the Sport Club staff and the Department of Recreational Sports help the clubs secure funds, facilities and equipment, the program’s emphasis is on one of the things A&M does best — develop leaders. The numerous honors won by the school’s Sport Clubs take on added luster if you consider that students administer each club -- they’re the ones directly responsible for operating and managing a successful and competitive organization. Students of any ability level can join any Sport Club, develop their athletic abilities and leave the program with leadership skills that will prove invaluable long after their time in Aggieland.
If this year’s performances are any indication, the more than 1,400 Aggies involved in Sport Clubs will no doubt achieve success both on and off the field next year.
For more information about Aggie Sport Clubs, contact Keith Joseph at kjoseph@rec.tamu.edu .
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