Even if you are not among the nearly 1,000 Big Green varsity athletes on one of Dartmouth's 34 varsity teams, you still may be looking to complement your academic competitiveness with a little athletic contest. You definitely do not need to have the ability or desire to compete at the Division-I level to get involved in the sports scene. More than 80 percent of Dartmouth students take part in athletic competition of some level.
The College offers numerous intramural and club teams to provide a way to reduce your stress levels, flaunt that high school varsity soccer shirt and maybe make some new friends along the way.
Although intramural sports lack locker rooms and the intense organization seen in varsity level sports, they are numerous and greatly varied there are currently 35 intramural and 21 club teams on campus. Intramurals at Dartmouth include many traditional sports, such as basketball and soccer. The Athletic Department offers slightly more eclectic and offbeat activities as well, such as whiffle ball.
Club sports also play an important role in Dartmouth culture. These teams include rugby and ultimate Frisbee, both of which have gained tremendous popularity in recent years. This June, the Big Green men's rugby team beat Army, 32-10, to win the USA Men's Sevens Championship, which was broadcast nationally on NBC. The Frisbee team, while also performing well at the local level, prides itself on its unique culture of eccentricity.
Remember you need three physical education credits in order to graduate from Dartmouth, and club and intramural sports are both means of knocking out this requirement. Sign up for a Fitness and Lifestyle Improvement Program yoga or spinning class, or take advantage of the Upper Valley's Narnia-like weather and learn how to ski at Dartmouth's very own ski way. The options are nearly limitless.
