Photo by Ben Coven-Goebel
Students at South Salem High School have access to a range of club sports, including, lacrosse, water polo and men’s volleyball. Although these sports give students the chance to stay active and compete against other schools, they also come with a variety of difficulties due to their nature as club sports.
Water polo is one such sport that has encountered financing and player shortage issues. As a club sport, water polo depends on fundraising and donations to pay for expenditures including equipment rentals, travel expenses and pool rental fees. The squad has frequently fallen short of their financial objectives despite efforts to generate money.
In order to have a full team, water polo has also had trouble finding enough players. This is partially attributable to the sport’s physical requirements, which call for participants to swim over extended periods of time while simultaneously making strenuous physical contact with rivals. There is also an issue with students knowing about water polo, as there is no advertising from the school about water polo.
In spite of these difficulties, the water polo team has had success competing against other local schools. They have, however, encountered challenges along the way to becoming a school-sponsored sport. As a school sponsored sport, the team would have easier access to school resources like financing. The team has requested recognition as an official sport from the school administration, but they have not yet received it.
Lacrosse is another club sport at South Salem High School that has had difficulties. In the 2023 season the team was unable to produce enough board members and coaches so they had no choice but to combine with the Sprague High School’s lacrosse team in order to compete.
Another active club sport at South is men’s volleyball. Despite their success in competition, they still encounter difficulties as a club sport. The school community has welcomed the men’s volleyball squad despite the challenges. They have worked hard to set a solid foundation for the future and have attracted a committed group of players and supporters.
In conclusion, club sports at South Salem High School offer students beneficial chances to be active, engage in interscholastic competition and develop a sense of camaraderie with their teammates. Yet, because they are club sports, they also encounter a number of difficulties. Lack of finance and resources, trouble finding players and restricted access to school facilities are some of these difficulties. Despite these challenges, these sports are nevertheless successful and give students life-changing experiences that they will remember long after they graduate from high school.
