Source: Cameron Jackson, 785-823-6594, cameronj@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Natalie Blair, 785-826-2642, nblair@k-state.edu

Friday, Aug. 6, 2010

CLUB SPORTS A HIT AT K-STATE SALINA

SALINA -- Club sports are growing at Kansas State University Salina.

Three new offerings -- women's softball, men's basketball and women's dance -- have joined dodgeball and disc golf as club sports at on the campus.

"The difference between a club team and an intramurals team is that a club team is made up of students wanting to focus on a specific sport and get competitive without playing at a varsity sport level. They are playing for love of the sport, like intramural athletes, but not scholarships like varsity athletes," said Cameron Jackson, recreational coordinator at K-State Salina's new Student Life Center. "They also have to raise their own funding for uniforms, equipment and travel expenses."

The women's softball team already has recruited 12 players in the past three months. The team is being supervised by Levi Esses, director of student life, until a coach can be found. The Fall Classic, Sept. 19-20, will be the team's first game, but most of their competitions will be in the spring.

The men's basketball team currently has 17 members, and Jackson, the team's coach, plans to add a few more new students once the school year starts. Players will have a "free-throwathon" in early fall as a way to raise funds for their season, which starts in November against Sterling College's varsity team.

The women's dance team, the SpiritCats, has six members with room for four more dancers. Teresa Hartman, instructor of mathematics, is the team's adviser. The team's first performance will be Aug. 23 as part of orientation activities. The team will dance year-round, with performances at local athletic events and the men's basketball team's home games.