Few people set out playing soccer with the goal of playing on the club level in college. The reality, however, is that few can play on the collegiate level. Some athletes cannot make the time commitment or are not ready to compete at the varsity level.
With this in mind, the Georgetown men’s club soccer team was founded in 2001 by Rob Swain (COL ’03). Through his and many others’ hard work, the Hoyas now have a successful club program integrated into the Georgetown soccer program. Varsity soccer holds open tryouts during freshman orientation, after which the men’s soccer coaches refer certain students to the club level. Speaking about the skill level of his teammates, team president Mike Day (COL ’04) said, “Obviously, a team like the rugby team will get the best in the school. We’re second-tier. We have guys that quit varsity, we have scrimmaged varsity a couple times each spring. That’s the best competition we have.”
The club team furthers its relationship with the varsity team by acting as ballboys at home games.
Just as he created the Georgetown club program, Swain also created the Capital Collegiate Soccer League in 2001. The league is now 10 teams strong, set up into two divisions. The North Division includes the Hoyas, Loyola College, the Naval Academy, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the University of aryland, College Park. The South Division is made up of James adison University, George Washington University, the University of Richmond, the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech University. The league does not have playoffs, and a regular season champion is determined by the results of league play.
As with other club sports, the club soccer team has its challenges. University funding is not enough to cover all costs. Every member pays dues of $100 a year. These dues, along with some funding from the university, pay for the team’s entrance in tournaments, accommodations and transportation. Because there is no home field, the Hoyas have to play all of their games on the road. These challenges may frustrate the players, but they have taken it in stride and will continue to hone their skills on the soccer field.