The Harding fishing team offers students an opportunity to relax without a television screen, and the chance to compete in collegiate athletics without shoulder pads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since 2009, the team has competed against numerous anglers in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen we compete, we compete with F.L.W. (Forrest L. Wood Division) in what is called the \u2018Southern Region,\u2019 and it\u2019s a number of states,\u201d sponsor David Collins said. \u201cIt\u2019s Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and I think it gets even to Arizona and New Mexico, but every single college and university in those states can field a team.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the competition having no classification, opponents range from small community colleges to Division I programs, such as Texas A&M and Louisiana State University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For freshman prospect Braden Smith, his competitiveness never fades when he puts a line in the water, he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI really just enjoy fishing competitively,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWhenever I go fish, I\u2019m pre-fishing trying to find new spots, scanning for structure on the bottom. I\u2019m always looking for stuff that will help me in competitions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Smith also said that his competitive fishing career grew from a love of fishing with his grandfather. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always grown up with my grandfather fishing, and we always just crappie fished and fished to eat,\u201d Smith said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Harding fishing allows students to take a hobby or sport that they loved as kids, and compete with people across the country who share the same interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s pretty cool that there\u2019s a fishing team here,\u201d senior Tyler Turner said. \u201cI wish I had known about it sooner \u2014 I mean I\u2019ve always loved fishing. I\u2019ve never fished in competition before, so that would be interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the past, the team has received awards and won competitions, and Collins said he is hoping to further these successes in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe very first team, we had two guys who competed, and they actually won prize money in the tournament early on, and so we\u2019ve always had success,\u201d Collins said. \u201cWe had two guys who were very successful in the last four years, but they\u2019ve graduated. And so this year, we\u2019re looking to add to the legacy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to offering ways to fish competitively, Collins said it also serves as an organization for those interested in fishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe other aspect of HU fishing is a special interest, student-run organization,\u201d Collins said. \u201cSome of the things that would be a part of that would be meetings, activities, outings \u2014 perhaps in those meetings special guest speakers, professional fishermen. We have some tremendous fishing opportunities close by with the Little Red River. So just sharing the messages, sharing the opportunities, building interest in fishing, sharing information to those who love to fish, but maybe don\u2019t know where to fish around here \u2014 those would be some of the things that we would want to do.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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