The first and second round games were played with mini goals and no goalkeepers. However, for the third and final round, teams played with regular soccer goals and goalkeepers. Each game was around 30–45 minutes long. The referees for the tournament were third-year Zoe Garver and fourth-year Brynn Adams, who are both women’s soccer players and recent All-NCAC honorees.

College third-year Olivia Gonzalez is on the club soccer team and played in the tournament. Her team — Koby’s BFFs, named after third-year Koby Mbonu — was a mix of College students, varsity soccer players, and members of other varsity teams.

“I had a great time at the tournament!” Gonzalez wrote in an email to the Review. “It was awesome for BSAG to organize this event, and I’m really proud of the turnout and success!! I was on Koby’s BFFs and despite our early elimination to Him (which actually featured a lot of my club soccer friends), we still had a blast.”

Gonzalez joined club soccer at the end of her first year, and though she believes she still has a long way to go in improving her game, it has given her an opportunity to practice a sport she loves.

“It was definitely daunting to join the club at first because I hadn’t played since middle school,” Gonzalez wrote. “However, we have practices 4–5 times a week, and slowly I’ve improved!”

These days, Gonzalez serves on the club soccer leadership committee team, which helped with the organization of the soccer tournament.

“BSAG invited me to one of their meetings to discuss logistics for the event and to run some ideas by club soccer regarding game timing, promotion, and rules,” Gonzalez wrote. “But I credit the majority of the event planning and success of the event to BSAG!”

Mbonu, who is co-chair of BSAG and on the men’s soccer team, served as one of the main organizers for this event.

“BSAG wanted to create another sports tournament for the Oberlin community and decided a soccer tournament would be the best idea,” Mbonu wrote in an email to the Review. “We partnered with Club Soccer and Yeofit (who were great to work with) and had an amazing time.”

Mbonu reached out to the club soccer team because it would guarantee players for the tournament. He also reached out to YeoFit since they would provide resources for the event, such as hoodies and frisbees for raffles and food and beverages.

“We haven’t hosted anything in the past with either organization, but will definitely be doing this tournament next year so we’ll be sure to reach out again,” Mbonu wrote. “In addition, the athletic and non-athletic community don’t cross over too much at Oberlin so it gave us a chance to do that as well.”

Only one team could win it all, and that was Tacha’s Team. Tacha Lee, a third-year on the women’s soccer team, thought that it would be fun to put a team together. It was composed of all varsity soccer members from the men’s and women’s teams.

“The tournament was really fun!” Lee wrote in an email to the Review. “It was nice seeing a bunch of people play soccer together. Winning was also great but it was more fun to just hang out with my friends and kick the ball around.”

Third-year Samantha Gilfond, who is on the women’s soccer team, played on the winning team.

“It was nice getting a chance to play with my teammates again after our season ended and also play alongside the men’s team,” Gilfond wrote in an email to the Review. “I thought it was a great way to spark friendly competition and meet new people. I love playing soccer and I am very competitive so it was a great way to support BSAG and leverage my competitiveness.”

When asked how the tournament was compared to a Division III in-season soccer match, Lee commented on the light-heartedness of the game.

“It definitely was a lot more relaxed than varsity soccer and I could just kinda enjoy myself while playing soccer more casually with others,” Lee wrote.

Gilfond noted the similarities and differences between this game and varsity games.

“It was super different, especially when we were competing against teams that were not made up of majority soccer athletes,” Gilfond wrote. “In the final game both teams were made up of mostly varsity soccer players which made the level of play pretty high.”

Mbonu, who also played on Tacha’s Team, had similar remarks to Lee and Gilfond.

“It was great playing in the tournament,” Mbonu wrote. “All around, I believed everyone had a great time though. It doesn’t really compare to DIII soccer at all because a lot of people playing weren’t currently training athletes, but the competition level was still high and I hope it will keep the same standard for next year.”

“As captains, we’ve heavily focused on being inclusive — we definitely prioritize everyone having a chance to get on the ball and improve their skills over playing the highest level of soccer possible,” College second-year and captain of club soccer Noah Elazar wrote in an email to the Review. “I think this has resulted in people coming to play soccer for the first time and then returning again and again and improving a ton. We’ve also had the opportunity to hold a lot more events and do a wider range of activities as a club.”

The club soccer team has found a great deal of success and has even gone outside the scope of the game of soccer, hosting events within the Oberlin student body for various communities.

“We’ve held social events such as watch parties and team dinners and expanded the variety of our practices,” Elazar said. “We’ve consistently run a practice for women and nonbinary players and even played some futsal in Hales [Gymnasium] during the winter. Overall, I think — and hope — we’ve created a community where everyone feels comfortable and enjoys spending time with each other.”

Club soccer has created a communal atmosphere in which everyone can thrive, regardless of skill level. The organization has hosted many social events that have brought people together across campus.

“We’ve had about two events each semester at my house on Union Street,” fourth-year and club social chair Emily Milnamow said. “It’s been really incredible to plan events for a group of people like those involved with club soccer. It’s a lot of people from different years and majors. It just feels like a great mix of people who wouldn’t come together otherwise.”

However, not all club teams across the country take this approach. Elazar noted that during competitions with other schools, the difference in spirit has been notable.

“We enjoyed playing together as a team and having the chance to play against other schools, but on the other hand, the other schools’ clubs definitely had different priorities,” Elazar said. “Most of [the other teams] were there to compete and be the best [on the field], while we were more interested in having a good time and making sure everyone got involved. We did manage to make friends with the Wittenberg [University] team, however.”

The friendship turned into a friendly match last weekend as Oberlin hosted Wittenberg — which made the nearly three hour trip — at North Fields. Oberlin won the game, but athletes on both sides showed great sportsmanship while playing quality soccer.

Elazar emphasized the variation in competitiveness of practices, intercollegiate games, and intramural games. The intramural tournament that started late in the fall semester and ran until April gave members of the club a chance to compete against each other.

“The intramural tournament we had was a much better environment for our club,” he said. “It gave people the opportunity to be a bit more competitive than normal practice but in a much less intense situation.”

The final competition for Oberlin club soccer this academic year will be a match against the Flying Horsecows — Oberlin’s men’s ultimate Frisbee team — Sunday at 9 p.m. on Bailey Field.

Tucked discreetly into a corner of Philips gym, Oberlin’s climbing wall is high quality with a 25-foot-tall pillar and 360-square foot bouldering cave to match.

“I came from a competitive climbing background, so it was really important to me that Oberlin has a climbing wall on campus — it’s also pretty special since we’re such a small school,” College fourth-year Aidan Cowie said. “During my four years here, we’ve been able to grow the wall and the climbing community, and it’s been really exciting to see how much progress has been made.”

College fourth-year Cecilia Owen, who currently serves as vice president of the Oberlin College Rock Wall and helped revitalize the club during the pandemic, emphasized the impact the club had made on her time at the College.

“The climbing community here has been such a big part of my life and experience at Oberlin, and some of my best friends here I met while climbing,” Owen said.

“It’s been such a pleasure watching the community grow so much in the past couple of years. Just the fact that we have a climbing wall and a space to practice what we love is super special, but seeing how welcoming and open it is and how many people we’ve introduced to the sport has been one of the highlights of my time here.”

The Rock Wall’s infrastructure and welcoming community have led the organization to impressive accomplishments.

“We had a climbing competition this past weekend, and it was a total success,” Owen said. “We had 28 brand-new climbs, and dozens of people showed up to compete. I’m so glad to know that when I graduate, the wall and climbing club will continue on.”

Cowie emphasized the necessity of inclusivity for the club and the importance of publicity and outreach to get students involved.

“We’re dedicated to making the wall as safe and inclusive as possible, offering climbs for all levels — from complete beginner to lifelong climbers,” Cowie said. “A lot of people still don’t know that Oberlin even has a climbing wall, so we’ve worked really hard to bring new people into our space. Everything at the wall is completely free, and we provide gear and instruction to anyone who needs it. The climbing club has been a quintessential part of my time at Oberlin and I’m so excited to see this space that has been my home for the last four years becoming home to a new group of Obie climbers.”

With its strong foundation as a student organization, and open access to its wall and gear, the Oberlin College Rock Wall has managed to establish a solid, long lasting legacy on campus.

Riders competed in their second outing of the school year at the University of Findlay this past Saturday and Sunday. Hunt seat is a particular form of English riding, a more traditional style than its Western counterpart. College third-year Emily Ferrari and College fourth-year Michele Eggleston competed in the event, and both took home fifth place in their classes.

Although Oberlin currently does not have enough points to score in shows for the IHSA, that doesn’t stop students from entering competitions. Equestrian team members also encompass a wide variety of experiences, from those who are just starting out to those who have been riding since they were little.

Members practice at Equine Differences, a barn about a mile north of campus owned by Coach Ric Weitzel. Not all college riders at Equine Differences are from Oberlin, however — in the Lake Erie College show, two students from Lake Erie College and the University of Findlay who train at the barn won their events last weekend. Students can be trained in hunt seat equitation, Western horsemanship, or both. Oberlin students can also ride and compete in dressage — there’s a separate club for that — and many riders participate in both. College first-year Max Lang hopes to hone his skills this year at the barn.

“Practices have been chill and a lot of fun,” Lang said. “Equine Differences has a lot of really great lesson horses. … All of the teammates [I’m in lessons] with are super sweet and supportive, as is our coach Michelle, and it’s been a great environment to learn in.”

As previously reported in the Review, pickleball’s popularity experienced a 650-percent surge of interested players in the past six years, and especially skyrocketed during pandemic restrictions in 2020. Due to its acclaim and the success of Oberlin’s intramural cornhole tournament a few weeks prior, Associate Director of Campus Recreation Sara Schoenhoft decided to organize the league. Before, the only place for the Oberlin community to play the sport was at the Splash Zone courts.

The league is organized into random doubles groups every week rather than a bracket. Surrounded by the din of neighboring basketball practices, the games usually take place in front of an audience of one and since there are no referees, the players are left to settle on the rules and scores themselves. They play in three sets for best out of 11 points. In between sets, the players can be seen trying to cool themselves off with paddles, talking strategies with their partner, or chasing the small yellow balls across the court.

Despite the informality, the level of play and excitement from competitors rivals some professional tennis games. For instance, this week, Associate Dean of Students Thom Julian delivered a Serena Williams-style ace in one of the nail-biting sets against women’s soccer players second-year Zoe Garver and third-year Brynn Adams. Meanwhile, football first-years Treyce Wood and Ben Ephraim continued to defend their two-game winning streak, defeating College fourth-years Naomi Friedman and Jessica Norris in a brief but heated game.

Wood and Ephraim said that pickleball is a refreshing athletic environment compared to the intensity of football practices while still offering fun and competition.

“We both signed up for cornhole and had a lot of fun with that,” Wood said. “It’s nice to just still be competitive but try a different sport now and kind of take a break from football.”

Although Bilingual Staff Therapist Libni López and Executive Director of the Career Development Center Anthony Pernell-McGee “lost terribly” to fourth-year men’s soccer players Jon Schafer and Zack Butter in their Tuesday afternoon game, they still enjoyed the exercise break and the chance to meet students.

“[Pickleball is] an opportunity to meet other faculty, staff, and students outside of whatever work that they’re doing or their office,” López said. “It gives you a little bit of a break … from your office to get your body moving. It makes the day a little bit easier.”

Schoenhoft said that just like the cornhole league prior, the pickleball league provided the opportunity to unite different members of the Oberlin community. In fact, many of the pickleball competitors played in the cornhole league, like Ephraim and Wood. She also said that there are more intramural leagues, including basketball for the winter and softball for the spring, for players to enjoy, even hinting at the return of another pickleball league.

“You don’t have to have a ton of experience,” Schoenhoft said. “[In the] cornhole league prior we had student athletes, we had non-student athletes, we had staff. I think that’s the whole point: to bring a lot of different diverse communities together.”

The league runs until Nov. 22 in West Phillips gym, playing on Mondays at 7 p.m. and Tuesdays at 12:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. Faculty, staff, and students are welcome to watch.

To begin the day, the Flying Horsecows were divided randomly into two smaller teams, X and Y, for the tournament. Team X chose the name Mercedes-Benz UNIMOG while Team Y chose to call themselves the Battle of the Sandwich. Both teams faced the same opponents, though in a different order.

The Horsecows and the Manti lost 11 seniors last year, leaving many holes for first-years and new players to fill. The teams recruited heavily during orientation, but the question remained as to whether their efforts would suffice. Both MBU and BOS started on a down note, each losing closely to Kenyon’s X team. MBU lost 13–5 in their first match against the Serfs while BOS fell short 13–11. However, MBU was able to redeem the losses in a second match to Kenyon’s Y team, in which they won a close 13–12.

To end the day, both teams competed against The College of Wooster. Each of these matches were blowouts in favor of the Horsecows, with MBU stomping the Ramjam 13–1 and BOS winning in equal measure with a score of 13–3.

Fourth-year Captain Jack Povilaitis was extremely satisfied with the Horsecows’ performance. He believes the Horsecows and their young group have a bright future ahead of them.

“The team blew my mind,” he remarked. “A huge part of this fall semester has been recruiting and getting [new players] up to snuff to fill gaps. So many people … showed the captains that they can step up when we ask them to.”

The Manti started out hot, securing a 8–6 victory against the University of Dayton at the beginning of the day. Though there were many turnovers throughout the game, the Manti were able to weather the storm and emerge victorious. Unfortunately, a winning streak was not in the cards. The team lost their next game 11–1 to a stacked Case Western Reserve University.

“[Despite being] super intense, the game wound up being a really good learning experience,” third-year cutter Claire Rothstein said when asked about the loss.

Going into the latter half of the day, the Manti persevered and put up an impressive fight against two very strong opponents. Playing the University of Pittsburgh proved to be a tough challenge but again served as a valuable teaching moment for the developing team, who lost 13–2.

“It was so cool being able to see such a talented group show off such amazing skill,” Rothstein said.

The Manti rounded off the day with a match against Miami University. In an intense defensive battle with multiple turnovers and a plethora of long points, the Manti saw themselves barely edged out in a close 9–4 loss.

The Manti were proud of their performance, especially with so many new players.

“The team definitely exceeded expectations in a lot of ways and had so much fun,” Rothstein said.

Rothstein and Povilaitis also took time during their interviews to invite any and all students on campus to join the ranks of the Manti and Horsecows. Both spoke to the amount of love and support they felt from the teams and the joy they feel playing the sport.

“The Manti [and Horsecows] are the most loving and friendly teams,” Rothstein said. “We’re always looking to recruit more people, and it’s been so exciting to see such a large group of individuals be so passionate about improving their abilities.”

Povilaitis agreed with Rothstein and added that the Frisbee community is like a family rather than a team.

“You can’t imagine how big of a role this team can play in your life,” Povilaitis added. “If you let us, we will become your family. Everyone deep down is a Horsecow [or Mantis]; you’ve just gotta let it out and fly!”

According to the International Chess Federation, Carlsen has held the highest chess ranking for the past 11 years. He is known for his unbeaten streaks — earlier in his career, he had a 125-game unbeaten streak, the longest ever on record. Prior to the Sept. 5 game, Carlsen held a 53-game unbeaten streak. Earlier this year, however, he voluntarily relinquished his title as world chess champion, one which he held for the last nine years. When Carlsen withdrew from the Sinquefield Cup, it was the first time he had ever quit while in the middle of a tournament.

Niemann, on the other hand, is an up-and-coming chess player. His rating has skyrocketed over the past two years, demonstrating rapid improvement in his game. Chess streaming on websites such as Chess.com — the most popular chess website where people can virtually play with others of similar rank — gives visibility to younger up-and-coming players, which is how Niemann gained a fanbase.

Originally, Niemann wasn’t even supposed to play in the Sinquefield Cup, a competition for some of the best players in the world. He had been a wildcard candidate for another player, Richárd Rapport, who could not attend. Niemann came in with the lowest rating by far. He drew his first game and won his second. His next game — the one against Carlsen — wasn’t the first match between the two. In February they played a series of five games in a rapid chess tournament: Niemann won the first, then Carlsen squashed him in the next four.

This time, however, Niemann won his game against Carlsen. He won while playing with the black pieces, a rarity at the highest levels because white has the advantage of making the first move. In the post-game interview, Niemann claimed he scouted out some of Carlsen’s moves and then used an AI engine to analyze them. However, Niemann mentioned a move from a match that Carlsen never played, drawing speculation of how he really won.

The next day, Carlsen withdrew and posted a video clip on Twitter of Portuguese soccer manager José Mourinho saying, “I prefer really not to speak. If I speak I’m in big trouble, and I don’t want to be in big trouble.” Players in the tournament were offline and had no connection to the outside world during the tournament, so they could not see the video.

Niemann won his next game against Alireza Firouzja. At one point, he played queen to G3, a move that is near impossible to predict without a computer, which prompted many chess fans to back up Carlsen. Some people, including Chess Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura, speculated that Carlsen dropped out because he believed Niemann cheated. For the remainder of the tournament, more anti-cheating measures were taken, but the chief arbiter said there was no evidence of cheating. In the recent past, chess players have cheated by looking at a phone during a bathroom break or having a bluetooth device in their ear.

Niemann stumbled during his post-game interview against Firouzja. Online, chess fans said he didn’t know what he was talking about and speculated that he wasn’t that great of a player. He suggested bad moves and ideas about what should be played, and his explanation for playing QG3 made little sense.

Niemann’s next game ended in a draw, and in his post-game interview, he finally addressed the cheating controversy. According to Niemann, he studied a different game from Carlsen than what he originally said in his first interview. He also explained his QG3 move, saying that it was meant to scare Firouzja and was not necessarily the best move. He also admitted to cheating twice in online chess, but when he was 12 and 16 years old.

Later that day, Chess.com, which is partly owned by Carlsen, banned Niemann from its website and events. In a statement, they claimed there was more information regarding his online cheating than Niemann had let on.

On Sept. 19, Carlsen and Niemann played an online rematch at the Julius Baer Generation Cup for preliminaries. On his second move, Carlsen resigned and turned off his camera as a form of protest, which confirmed that Niemann was the reason he quit the tournament. Carlsen hasn’t discussed the scandal since the tweet. He may have requested an official investigation, and during that time the player cannot address the situation.

Oberlin’s former chess club sponsor and Head Women’s Tennis Coach Constantine Ananiadis thinks that Carlsen handled the situation poorly.

“Especially for someone of his stature, influence, and platform, [Carlsen] should know better,” Ananiadis wrote in an email to the Review. “Everything he does and says is scrutinized and taken seriously. Even his decision not to play the world championship is disrespectful to the game of chess. Not sure if [the] game has gotten to him, but he’s acting strangely for sure. On one hand, it does bring publicity to chess. On the other, it’s negative.”

Conservatory second-year Evan Beachy believes Carlsen has a duty to speak out if he has evidence of foul play.

“I think Hans got good after quitting chess online, and the media is looking over the fact that it’s incredibly difficult to cheat — it’s not like they’re letting people get on their phones at this tournament,” Beachy said. “Magnus has a duty to say something. If he has good evidence to support it, he should come forward with it.”

There could be yet another Carlsen-Niemann rematch in the near future. Carlsen secured a spot in the Generation Cup’s knockout stage, and there’s a chance Niemann will qualify as well. They may face each other once more in the quarterfinals. But these players will not be looked at the same as they had been before the Sept. 5 game. Even if this isn’t a cheating scandal, both players will have their names attached to the controversy for the rest of their careers.

Pickleball originated in Bainbridge Island, Washington, located west of Seattle. Joel Pritchard and his friends, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, were about to play badminton with their children while on vacation but couldn’t find enough rackets to play with. Rather than continuing the search, they instead tried to play a game with what they had — ping-pong paddles, a net, and wiffle ball. With these paddles and a perforated plastic ball, along with more experimenting in the later days and months, the game of pickleball was born.

There are three hypotheses of how the name pickleball came to be. Pritchard’s wife, Joan, claimed that the sport reminded her of a pickle boat, which in rowing refers to a boat filled with last-minute random rowers. There is also a rumor that the sport was named after the Pritchards’ family dog, Pickles, but Pickles was born after 1965; the dog was actually named after the sport. Decades later, Bell stated that the name originated from the fact that Pritchard liked to put his opponent in a difficult situation — also known as a pickle — during the game.

The game, which can be played as either a singles or doubles game, is best described as a mixture of ping pong, tennis, and badminton. A pickleball court looks like a tennis court but is the size of a badminton court, though a lot of people use tennis or badminton courts for pickleball. The area within seven feet on both sides of the net is called the non-volley zone, also known as the “kitchen.” Coming in contact with the non-volley zone when hitting a volley, whether it is the player themselves or anything they might be wearing or carrying, is considered a fault. Only the team that is serving can earn points, but once this team loses a rally or commits a fault, it becomes the opponent’s turn to serve. Faults include failing to hit the ball, not passing the ball over the net, or volleying within the non-volley zone, among other things.

Each match consists of three games, and each game is played until a player or team scores 11 points with at least a two-point lead. If the team is leading by only one point, the game continues until a team pulls two points ahead. Serving the ball is similar to tennis — the only two serves are volley and drop, and the serve must reach the opposite side of the court. To serve, one or both feet must be behind the baseline of the court.

Though the leading demographic of “core” pickleball players — people who play the sport eight or more times a year— are those 65 and older, the pandemic has brought an increase in younger players who appreciate the sport and play with family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. Third-year women’s basketball guard Jaedyn O’Reilly used to play pickleball with her grandparents and their friends at a retirement home.

“Growing up playing a lot of sports, it was cool to be able to play one with my grandparents,” O’Reilly said. “It’s a very easy sport to learn, so even if people don’t see themselves as athletic, pickleball is something they can enjoy.”

One of the recreation centers on the south side of the town of Oberlin, Splash Zone, is home to four pickleball courts. Ann McDonald, the front desk worker at Splash Zone, noted that most of the people who come in and play pickleball are 50 and older. However, there have recently been more people 30 and older who are coming to learn and play the game. Oberlin’s pickleball community has grown to the point where these players interact off the court.

“We get a large number of people who come and play,” McDonald said. “[Pickleball players] mingle with and look out for each other. Sometimes they’ll even do a potluck, and they do this on their own, not with Splash Zone.”

Students like College second-year Sam Brady have also started to gain exposure to the sport. He learned how to play for the first time while at home on break.

“It was fun and low-key,” Brady said. I just played with friends at the beginning of winter break last year on some tennis courts. It was 60 degrees and sunny that day in Santa Fe. I felt like an investment banker enjoying retirement.”

Major cities, such as Chicago and Houston, are building more pickleball courts as more people pick up the sport. There’s even a pickleball summer camp in Huntsville, AL set to open in 2024 called “Camp Pickle.” As of today, over 60 countries have joined the International Federation of Pickleball. Because 75 countries are required to make a sport part of the Olympics, pickleball players are optimistic about the sport being included in the 2024 or 2028 Summer Olympics as a demonstration sport.

The oldest club sport on campus is the Fencing Club, the Flaming Blades. Newcomers who want to learn how to fence can join FenceCo, an ExCo that introduces them to the exhilarating sport. More experienced fencers can join the Flaming Blades and compete around the Midwest. In its recent history, the Flaming Blades has sent members to the Midwestern Fencing Conference, the Collegiate Club Fencing Championships, and two other tournaments hosted by The Ohio State University and Case Western Reserve University. At Case Western’s duel last year, fourth-years Illuin Darlington-Bai and JJ Wroblewski, as well as Arman Luczkow, OC ’22, placed in saber. However, most members of the club fence against each other.

“[The Blades] like to approach it as something fun and interesting to do, rather than in the hyper competitive spirit that many sport fencers embrace,” College fourth-year and club member Desmond Hearne Morrey said.

Oberlin’s club sports scene also boasts a successful ultimate Frisbee program. In 2019, the women’s and trans ultimate team, the Preying Manti, won Division III nationals. In fact, two members from that year’s team ended up playing for the USA National Ultimate Team. In most cases however, many people who join the women’s and trans team haven’t played the sport before. College third-year Amelia Sterling-Angus is one of the few who played competitive Frisbee before coming to Oberlin.

“A lot of people come in not knowing how to throw a disc,” Sterling-Angus said. “You can improve really quickly if you’re committed to it, though.”

Following the Preying Manti’s success, the men’s open ultimate team, the Flying Horsecows, went to nationals last season and earned fifth place among the Division III colleges. College fourth-year captain Jack Povilaitis, also known as “Jack Hands,” mentioned that the countless hours the members spent playing with each other contributed to their progression to nationals. The team also found success from developing the A and B team system that is similar to a varsity and junior varsity setup. Like many Horsecows and Manti members, Povilaitis came in not knowing how to throw a Frisbee.

“Most players want to continue doing something athletic after high school or want to start,” Povilaitis said. “One of our top scorers now played soccer in high school, and one of the captains last year… didn’t know how to throw at first [and] became one of the best players on the team.”

Second-year Josh Willmore is a varsity athlete on the football team, but is still able to prioritize the Horsecows off the football field. Many Frisbee players have other priorities, but the flexibility of club sports allows them to participate when they can. Willmore believes that Frisbee has helped his football skills, and has seen improvement since his last season. Sometimes he goes to football practice during the day and then throws Frisbee at night with the rest of the team. Willmore isn’t the only varsity athlete who has made time for club sports. Third-year field hockey captain Susan Robinson-Cloete participated in rugby events such as rugby prom, and third-year Adrienne Sato, who is on the women’s soccer team, practiced with the ice hockey club.

Rugby is one of the most rigorous club sports on any college campus — the women’s and trans team, the Rhinos, and the men’s team, the Gruffs, play against other schools within the region for tournaments and scrimmages. Last season, the Gruffs attended the Allegheny Rugby Union Spring 7s Championship and won the tournament’s Spoon championship. Likewise, the Rhinos played against nearby colleges such as Kenyon College and Baldwin Wallace University.

All Obies, whether they are just looking to kick and throw a ball or are a DIII athlete looking to play another sport on the side, have the option of club sports to have fun and compete extensively. The flexibility of club sports allows students to engage with athletics while maintaining their regular schedules. These clubs not only form a culture of support but also push their members to improve their skills. From fencing to ultimate Frisbee to rugby, students can take a shot at sports they have never tried before and discover a new talent.

One of the ExCos on the Spring 2022 catalog is Sk8Co, where students learn the ins and outs of skateboarding. This includes the history and culture of skateboarding throughout the years and learning different tips and tricks, which are all put together for the goal of getting students comfortable with skateboarding by the end of the course.

College fourth-year and Sk8Co instructor Kush Bulmer says that one of the great aspects of the ExCo is that there is a great mix of experience, and that anybody who’s interested in skating can join the course. 

“This ExCo is for all skill levels!” Bulmer said. “Learning how to skate requires a lot of endurance and struggle, so having more experienced people give pointers and push you is helpful.” 

Bulmer is a passionate skater and wants to share his knowledge with people looking to grow. 

When asked about the most rewarding aspect of teaching this ExCo, Bulmer says he’s enjoyed helping people push themselves and watching them get excited about their progress and peers’ success. 

“This combination of peer and instructor support and guidance is really what makes ExCos unique, and [it’s] a great way to quickly jump in and learn something new,” he said.

College second-year Sarah Krohn, a member of Sk8Co, said that the encouragement of the ExCo’s community has enabled her to learn and grow.. 

“I have learned a couple of really good tips so far,” Krohn said. “More than anything, I just have the encouragement to try new tricks, which has helped me progress.”

Skating aside, Krohn says Sk8Co is also a great way to meet other people who share her hobbies. She also appreciates that when she’s pushed outside of her comfort zone, it helps to be with a group of people in the same boat.

“I have met a couple of new people that I didn’t know before, which is super nice to have with skating but also just with going to Oberlin,” Krohn said. 

Another ExCo Oberlin is offering this semester is Aikido, a modern Japanese martial art focused on basic movement, balance, coordination, timing, and technique. In the same vein as Sk8Co, this course can be taken by people with no experience in martial arts who need to focus on the basics or by extremely skilled martial artists. The end goal of the ExCo is to successfully test for the rank of 6th Kyu, which marks the completion of the basic techniques.

This ExCo is led by college fourth-year Julia Martin, who says that she’s loved Aikido since she was about 14 years old. 

“Aikido has been instrumental in developing my mental and physical self confidence,” Martin said. “The most important way that aikido has benefited my life is that when I walk home alone at night, I feel like I could handle myself if something were to go wrong.” 

Martin also adds that in the past, students have overwhelmingly loved the course, and that people love it so much they take it multiple semesters. Another great part about the course is the growth students experience over time.

“People are very scared to roll or fall — rightfully so — but by the end of the class, they are able to roll all around the room without issue,” she said. “Aikido is an art which takes a great deal of time to learn, so it is wonderful to see how well students are able to pick up the material over the course of a semester.” 

For those with a penchant for adventure, Introduction to Rock Climbing is another fantastic ExCo. 

Rock Climbing instructor, College fourth-year Aidan Cowie, expressed that the ExCo’s goal is for everyone to be comfortable with more difficult outdoor climbing after learning the basics like belaying, tying knots, and movement techniques such as bouldering.

College alum Kira Findley ’19 wrote a blog post in 2019, when she first joined the ExCo, that she was really excited to finally try something new in her last semester of college.

“I’ve only had one class so far, but I am already incredibly sore from climbing,” she wrote. “It’s tough! But I’m looking forward to this challenge — it’s going to be a lovely part of my final semester.”

If none of those three seem like your cup of tea, Oberlin has many other ExCos to offer, and there’s something for everyone to enjoy! Make sure to check out the course catalog to explore the vast list of activities.