By: Lubaba Mahmud, Staff Writer
While SFU is widely known as Canada’s only university that has varsity sports competing at the NCAA level, the school also boasts a wide variety of alternative sports clubs for students looking for some athletic engagement beyond the usual football, volleyball, basketball, etc. Here’s a brief rundown of some of these clubs:
SFU Fencing Club
En garde! SFU Fencing is for those who want to be fit and have fun in the process too. This club has a development program for beginners, but members can also compete on the national team. Members can rent equipment including mask, jacket, pants, gloves and *drumroll* a sword! How cool is that?
SFU Quidditch Club
Calling all Potterheads! SFU’s Quidditch Club offers a fun mixture of sports that integrates rugby, dodgeball, and soccer. They host trivia nights and are planning a Quidditch Ball in the near future. From beginners to seasoned players whose injuries prevent them from playing other, more rigorous sports, everyone is welcome. The club competes with teams from the Vancouver Quidditch community, as well as against teams from other universities across Canada.
SFU Rowing Club
The SFU Rowing Club has progressed to become a competitive program, ranking among the country’s top university rowing programs and continues to develop elite athletes that compete on both the provincial and national levels. Based out of Burnaby Lake, the team has also recently begun to travel across the country to attend competitive tournaments. Since the club offers a Novice team for beginners with no experience and a Senior team for students with at least 1 year of rowing experience, everyone is welcome in the SFU Rowing Club.
SFU Kendo Club
Traditional Japanese Kendo is the sport of choice for the SFU Kendo Club. They also teach iaido, which is a non-fighting posture demonstration form of martial arts. Members compete in inter-university tournaments every semester as well as in an annual North American tournament.
SFU Esports Association
This club provides a social platform at SFU for online gamers. Games played include Super Smash Bros., CSGO, Fortnight, League of Legends, Apex legends, and Overwatch. They have a casual andcompetitive focus. The goal is to link people through online games and provide an outlet for meetups, such as through viewing parties for competitive events.
SFU Athletics Dance
The SFU Athletics Dance team combines jazz, hip-hop, and lyrical styles for performances at various athletic events. Being part of a team of hard-working dancers, having the chance to perform and improve the ability to choreograph as well as make new friends are some of the many things this club has to offer.
SFU Board Games Club
If outdoors athletics isn’t your scene, this is the club for you. Play board games such as Coup, Deception, and Red Dragon Inn, among many other favorites in this casual club.
SFU Grappling Club
Grappling refers to techniques, manoeuvres, and counters applied to an opponent in order to gain a physical advantage. This is a self-defence and martial arts club which teaches non-striking techniques to members. They bring professional coaches on campus for weekly training.
SFU Cheerleading club
Go Team! Members cheer for our university’s teams during various athletic events like football games and the Terry Fox Run. They have two teams; a development team that invites people with no prior experience, as well as a competition team.
The Ultimate Frisbee Club
According to their website, the Ultimate Frisbee Club has “a friendly, but driven team atmosphere with a focus on sportsmanship.” Competitive men’s and women’s teams register for two to four tournaments each term excluding summer. Players of all skill levels are welcome.
SFU Ski and Snowboard Club
The SFU Ski and Snowboard Club offers membership to any student who enjoys outdoor winter sports. This club organises two trips for members each season to local mountains. They offer discounted tickets for these events.
