Several club sports flourish at UA – The Crimson White

Courtesy of Alabama Fencing

From badminton to ultimate frisbee, club sports programs encourage competition without being affiliated with the NCAA. Alabama has 30 clubs that vary in time commitment and skill level.

Alabama’s water ski team, led by club president Edward Roberts, includes student skiers from beginner to World ChampionThe club competes in the National Collegiate Water Ski Association Division 1 Nationals almost every year.

“Our tournaments are a lot more relaxed than most people would expect,” Roberts said. “Although we care a lot about our performance and have a lot of high-performing skiers on the team, our main goal on every trip we take is simply to have as much fun as possible.”

In August 2021, former club president and recent UA graduate Sean Hunter helped Team USA win the overall gold medal at the International Waterski and Wakeboard Federation U21 Waterski Championships, winning individual gold for his performance in slalom skiing.

The team as a whole has currently won its regional championships for 15 years and competes in the South Atlantic Conference with teams like Auburn, Clemson and Florida Southern College. The group has also finished in the top three in its last eight national championships, with its best finish being second place.

The Alabama Water Ski Team meets every Tuesday in Bidgood Hall. The team has its own private lake near the Duncanville campus where members hone their skills in slalom, trick and jump skiing.

Another powerful club sport is the university’s fencing club, led by President Konnor Carrie. UA Club Fencing allows students to compete at various levels in foil, épée and sabre fencing, regardless of their skill level.

“Every fencer respects the others and is eager to learn from each other,” Carrie said. “No one is ever too good to fence against someone else.”

The club participates in tournaments once or twice a month, with spring being the more active season.

Last year alone, the team competed in competitions at Emory, Georgia Tech, UAH, UTK, UGA and Birmingham Fencing Club.

In addition, the team hosted the Bama Open for the first time in 2024 at the Student Recreation Center, where the club practices Monday and Friday evenings.

In its first year in individual competitions, the fencing club won two gold and two silver medals. In its last year, it won one gold medal, one silver medal and five bronze medals.

In the college team competitions, the epee team took third, fifth and sixth place in three different tournaments.

A total of 24 fencers took part last year and achieved 154 victories across all tournaments.

The fencing club and the water ski team are proof that there is more to athletics in Alabama than meets the eye and that there is a sport for everyone.

“We all just want to have fun and get better at the sport we all enjoy, so everyone is always happy to help others on the team, whether it’s in school, skiing or anything else,” Roberts said.

Students who wish to participate in one of the university’s 30 club sports can do so at mySource or Get on Board Day in the winter semester.