The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

The Student News Site of Malvern Preparatory School

Friar's Lantern

Club and CYO Sports: How they compare

Malvern has plenty of sports to choose for anyone. Unfortunately for some sports, there are too many potential players that try out, and some need to be cut. Club and CYO sports are various leagues that give a chance to players who have been cut from their school teams, as well as players who are simply interested in having fun.

When it comes to club sports, the level of seriousness varies. For example, CYO basketball is a league of basketball teams for players who do not play for their school teams and want to play without the commitment of a school sport.

On the other hand, lacrosse club teams such as Dukes LC or Mesa Fresh require a great deal of commitment. Clubs like these go to many tournaments all year round, especially in the summer and fall.

“Club lacrosse requires a lot more dedication,” says AJ Fantazzia ‘17. Fantazzia plays CYO basketball for SS. Peter and Paul and Club lacrosse for Dukes LC.

“CYO basketball is way more laid back and fun to do as a secondary activity,” said Fantazzia. “Also, with club lacrosse you have to pay for tournaments, uniforms, and hotels, making it quite the expense while CYO basketball is just sign up and play. You also don’t have to travel very far for CYO ball. Club lacrosse sometimes requires you to travel a good distance just to play.”

For some athletes, club sports mean getting a chance to play in front of college coaches. While no one has been recruited to college from playing CYO basketball, sports like lacrosse depend on their club teams in order to get looks from colleges.

“I feel like the college recruitment plays a huge role in college sports,” said Raymond Baran ‘17. Raymond plays on Fusion Elite lacrosse as well as Man Up lacrosse.

“It drives athletes out of their high school team. Players are under pressure not to get injured and just now focus on the sport that they will play in college. It’s unfair to the kids. They should be allowed to play as many sports as they please and not have their college staring over their shoulder telling them what to do,” said Baran.

Club and school sports aren’t that different either. They both usually require a big amount of commitment and equally as time consuming. That being said, there are some major differences.

Billy Coyle ‘17, who plays varsity soccer for the Friars as well as lacrosse for Mesa Fresh, says, “I personally think school sports are more fun than club sports. It’s more competitive, and were all playing for a common goal, to win the Inter-Ac.”

“Kids are a lot more selfish in club sports,” said Coyle. “It’s hard to play as a team when most players are trying to get recruited. We’re also all the same age in club sports, since we play with graduating class such as 2017’s and 2016’s.

“The kids from club teams also come from a bunch of different schools, so we can play with kids from Haverford or Episcopal, so there can be some hatred right there from the start,” added Coyle.

Both club and school sports are opportunities for kids to show their talents and get better. In some cases colleges are involved, and for some, they play simply to have fun. Club sports are something that has gained a lot of popularity in the past years, and it will only get bigger as the years go on.

Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Friar's Lantern Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *