Written by You see it numerous times every year at every high school, college, or university around the country. Senior night. Athletes on rosters across the country are playing their last (home) game at their respective level. Usually announced before the game and celebrated with flowers, a replica jersey, and/or a handshake from their coach and athletics director. Some athletes break into tears, not only because it may be the last time playing with their team, but it is often the last time that athlete is playing their sport at a somewhat organized level. That is, unless you are a runner or swimmer.
Post-collegiate running and swimming have a vibrant culture of non-professional clubs and teams that still compete at both a competitive level and a recreational level. In almost every community in America, you can join a running or swimming club. The target audience ranges from recreational athletes looking to stay active all the way up to high performance clubs that have time standards and are even partially sponsored by a brand. These clubs benefit from certification and organization through their respective National Governing Bodies, such as USA Swimming and USA Track & Field (USATF), and other organizations such as the AAU and the Road Runners Club of America. Both USA Swimming and USATF have over 3,000 member clubs, and over 130,000 members each. These numbers do include youth clubs and athletes. These clubs and opportunities are not just for young adults. In many areas, masters level athletics-which is defined in the road running world as people over the age of 40-even outnumber the number of “open” competitors, which is usually known as 18-39. Either way, there is a vibrant post-collegiate scene in both of these sports that sees athletes continue to perform at a high level, with countless athletes staying active and setting personal bests well after their college or high school years.
The organizational level of post collegiate running and swimming rivals the organizational capacity of the NCAA and local high school leagues. Most clubs have advanced websites, coaches, and a plethora of competition options. USATF organizes locally through 56 local associations, that are required to put on local championships for youth, open, and masters athletics. Essentially, if you are involved in the track & field and distance running world, there will be a local championship event that you can participate in and test your ability. Prior to the COVID 19 pandemic, some of USATF’s larger associations, such as USATF New England (which I serve as an elected volunteer) had more than 6,000 members and over 140 clubs. Of those numbers, roughly 4,000 members were over the age of 18.
But why doesn’t a vibrant club culture exist for other sports, such as soccer, baseball, or other sports? The reasons behind this range from lack of a central governing body to issues with facility access, equipment, and critical mass of athletes. If you think about it, in order to put on a full competitive soccer game, one would need to get at least 22 athletes on a field in order to have two teams of 11. The two teams would even need to then also obtain a permit for such a game. Adding it up can get costly. Additionally, in order for the team to practice, they would need to find a time that all 11 athletes are free, and find an open field where they can practice.
Running and swimming do not have those restrictions. For distance running, team scoring is done with teams of 5. Running and swimming also have the personal component of you vs the clock vs everyone else in the race. In both of these sports, a competitor may not be the first to cross the finish line, but can still set a personal best, which is a win against your previous self. Many running and swimming clubs do have an organized practice, but runners can hit the streets at any time of day, and most swimmers can find a gym with a pool. This individualism, low barriers to entry, and low cost of administering competition are what allows running and swimming to have a vibrant post-collegiate scene. So how does one begin to try and establish post collegiate competitive opportunities in sports that are not as individual as swimming or running?
This article will be the first in a series of articles that take a deep dive into the world of post-collegiate athletics, everything from recreational to semi-professional, from young to masters. If running and swimming have proven anything, it is that you can balance family, work, and your sports life well into your adult years. The answer to creating a post collegiate scene for other sports is out there. We just need to find it.
“The World is a conspiracy to keep you from training. The club is a way of fighting that conspiracy.” -Tom Derderian, head coach of the Greater Boston Track Club