By Emma Thompson

Trista Paternosh, a sophomore at McDowell High School, only started playing volleyball her freshman year, but with the help of participating in both club and high school volleyball, her skills have improved drastically.

While club sports date back to 1787, the popularity of playing on a team outside of school has evolved, improved and become more popular. Playing a club sport while also playing a high school sport has many benefits. According to an article by NCSA College Recruiting, “almost 90% of student-athletes who compete at the college level, previously competed for a club team during the recruitment process.” 

It helps with skills, but it’s also a major money-making business. In the United States over $17 billion is spent on club sports each year, according to the Caris Sports Foundation. This price tag is not usually associated with high school organized sports.

Juliet Skirbin, a sophomore soccer player at McDowell said, “My parents definitely pay a lot more for club sports than school sponsored, so it gives me that pressure to perform better to get their money’s worth.” 

And the pressure of paying to play is not the only pressure club sports create for families and athletes. 

“I think that it can be overwhelming; you’re playing your sport all year with practically no break so it can feel like a lot. It is hard on your body to constantly be in ‘GO’ mode. It can be hard to relax,” Skirbin said.

Many studies have shown that club sports can have negative effects on students. It can overwork the athletes, and create unwanted stress by having the athletes worry because they are playing for the top level.

“It definitely takes its toll, especially because of my past with injuries and just general issues, it can be a lot, but with the right amount of recovery, like heat, ice, and stretching, I can always get past it,” Skirbin said. 

The constant working of your body can lead to a higher risk of injury, which is never the thing an athlete wants to go through.

Skirbin said she prefers to play for her school team because she creates a stronger bond with them. 

“I think that I will perform better for my school team. I connect better with my teammates and coaches, on and off the field.  I think because a bit of pressure is taken off of me during school season, so I can relax and have fun,” she said.

For some athletes, the challenge is worth the rewards. Paternosh had nothing negative to say about playing club sports. She said that it has helped her to become more comfortable with the sport, it has helped her to improve skills during the off-season and her increased reaction time overall. 

Playing a club sport can help athletes to reach their top abilities and can help them to improve their skills faster and become more confident and competitive at their sport. It can give them more exposure to competition, since they are playing with a group of athletes at a higher level and are playing against other athletes who also have put time and effort into the sport they will always play to their best ability. 

“Playing club soccer definitely gave me connections I wouldn’t have been able to make otherwise. When I play teams during the school season it’s so fun to say hi and reconnect with my club teammates. It has also allowed me to better myself as a player by practicing during the off season,” Skirbin said.

The competition can also give athletes good exposure. Since club teams often play in tournaments consisting of teams from all over it can give the athletes an opportunity to play against teams they wouldn’t normally get to play against. It also gives them the opportunity to travel all around to play in tournaments. 

Paternosh had many positives to share, and her main points were about how much playing a club sport has improved her skills because she spends more time on the sport. 

“During high school, the workouts were very intense, while we didn’t even run or do any strength (training) during club season,” Paternosh said. “I also feel like high school is very strict with attendance while during club, it was okay to miss a practice or two for whatever reason.”

Paternosh couldn’t think of many downsides to choose to play club sports.  “I feel like playing a club and high school sport has nothing but positive effects on you as an athlete and gives you better opportunities.”