A Dive into Sports Clubs

By: Kingston Mills

December 4, 2024

     Colgan is home to 25 sports, all of which are directly connected with the school. In addition to the typical sports held in school, they have club sports. Club sports occur outside of school and are known as non-varsity sports. They are mostly run through an organization. At Colgan, club sports include hockey, bowling and rowing.  

   The Ice Hockey team began their season in October. The team plays at the Prince William Ice Center in Dale City. Last season they finished with a 10-0 regular season record. This propelled the team into the playoffs where they outlasted West Potomac in the Quarterfinal, advancing to the next round. In the semifinal, they narrowly lost 5-4 to Alexandria City, ending a remarkable season.  

   Now the team looks to build on last season’s efforts. In September, evaluations were held for ice skills such as skating. The team is a combination of first year and returning players. Currently the squad is 1-1-1 through three games after a win, loss and tie.  

   The rowing organization, Crew, began in 2017. They do not hold tryouts and invite all that are interested to join, regardless of familiarity with the sport.  

   “It is one of the rare sports that most people start in high school,” said Varsity Rowing Coach Jeffrey Lucier. “No prior experience is required.”   

    They’re one of the only sports that has a co-ed team. The team practices out of the Occoquan Reservoir in Woodbridge, Virginia via the Oxford Boathouse.  

   “We do drills and train, just like other racing sports,” said Coach Lucier. “During practices, coaches have the rowers do drills to improve individual rower and overall boat technique.”    

   The team competes in both nearby events in the area and even national competitions. In its first year, the team had top finishes in events like the State Championship Regatta and the Scholastic Rowing Association of America National Regatta.  

   “It is an ultimate team sport. There are no superstars. A boat must row well together to be successful,” said Coach Lucier.

   Unity is widely recognized as one of the key components of rowing. If one person is slacking or out of order it negatively affects the whole boat. This is something that rowers can take beyond the sport, into life. 

   Lucier said that rowers learn teamwork, leadership and resilience. He also said everyone can expect to row. 

   This is a growing sport, and it supplies many positives to its competitors. Colgan Crew actively prepares for the upcoming season by holding weekly offseason workouts.