Social club sports are about to take off. Men’s and women’s softball started Tuesday, Aug. 26, and have already had hotly contested games, packed bleachers and a fireworks show courtesy of Knights, who won their first softball game in 21 tries last Tuesday.
If you’re new to Harding, this means everything is business as usual. However, there are some changes to club sports this year. Men’s Intramural Director Jim Gowen, who is heading into his 19th year as director of club sports at Harding, has taken over both men’s and women’s club responsibilities, while Tom Ritchie, who had been in charge of women’s club sports, will now direct all intramural sports. For Gowen said the change helps make the job more cohesive.
“What I’m finding is that with scheduling, it makes things a lot easier (directing both the men and the women),” Gowen said. “With open house for instance, I was able to schedule the ladies for later and the guys earlier in the evening, so it worked out great for both.”
The biggest change this year, however, will take place in the spring. For the first time, soccer will be played as a club sport for the men after it was voted to take the place of spring softball by club athletic directors last year.
“I don’t know that we’ve ever had organized club soccer,” Gowen said. “But we won’t play full squad. We’ll play 40-minute games, with reduced fields, seven-on-seven, substitute as much as you want on the fly, so there will be differences (between club and regular soccer). As far as intramurals are concerned, everyone has really seemed to like it, so I’m looking forward to the year.”
For the women, Ko Jo Kai returns as the defending A-team champions after a solid effort across the board in 2014, which saw them capture five second-place finishes in route to the overall title.
“We’re very excited to start back up again,” junior Ko Jo Kai athletic director Tory Mote said. “Club sports is something we take a lot of pride in, and we love being able to represent our club through athletics. We’re really hoping to defend our championship again this year.”
For the men, TNT will be defending the title after a 2014 showing that included championships in flag football and spring softball, as well as second-place finishes in basketball and track. They will face stiff competition from Sub T-16.
“We’re ready to get going,” junior TNT athletic director Zach Abney said. “We were very consistent last year which was the reason we were able to be successful, so our main goal is just to continue being competitive in every sport we play.”
The softball championship expected to begin the week of Sept. 14, and flag football is scheduled to begin the last week of September. With all the action getting set to take place, make sure to come out and support the clubs. You might just see some fireworks. Literally.
