Three new club sports are seeking approval to start competing next semester.

Swimming, trap and skeet, and eventing — an equestrian based club — are all seeking university approval to become club teams.

Trap and skeet is one of the largest growing high school sports, said Mary Ellen Milam, associate director of programs for the University Recreation Center.

“Students are coming and trying to keep doing that,” Milam said.

There are five requirements for teams to be approved as a university club sport. The first step is gaining interest in the desired sport. A team must have at least 10 members and maintain that number to be eligible for becoming a student organization.

Next, the club must fill out the forms available on the student organization website to get officially approved by the university.

Clubs must be able to compete at a collegiate level, so the third step is to meet with Milam and show that there are other colleges with this particular club. Additionally, clubs must present a sustainability model to prove the sport will not die out over a couple years.

The last step is to gain approval from the risk management office in the recreation center. 

While there are only five steps in the process, funding can be an issue for potential new clubs.

Milam said the University Recreation Center doesn’t get any additional money just because new clubs are added.

“The amount of money to fund clubs gets dispersed even less to each club with the more clubs we have,” she said.

Lack of interest has also caused certain teams to disband or not be able to start. A competitive cycling team was disbanded due to not maintaining 10 members. This has left some students wishing for more sports on campus.

“I wish we had softball because I played softball my whole life,” said Haylee Bowden, a sophomore child development major.

Even with some of the frustrations that accompany overseeing club sports, Milam said they are an important aspect of university life.

“It is that outlet for those individuals who do want to compete with their college experience,” she said. “This may be the last time they get to compete at their sport, at least at the collegiate level.”