Sitting in the Palmer Dorm lobby with the Varsity Women’s Soccer team all together for the first time this past summer (prior to the school year starting), you could truly feel the camaraderie emanating. In my first week of being on campus, the women’s soccer team had a team bonding night where we played a karaoke game. I felt so welcomed that when the microphone was passed to me that I sang–and it was hard to listen to. Being that I am a transfer student who played Division I soccer previously at Davidson College, the experience of Division III athletics was a new experience for me. I quickly learned the amazing qualities that Division III athletics have to offer athletes of all levels (the ability to pursue classroom activities just as much or more than those on the field), and this balance was one integral part of my transfer decision.
The women’s soccer team at Swarthmore, and all of athletics here, are unlike any other. In the pre-season period, our team had various team bonding activities every night. We also had various fun events planned throughout the season, such as a formal dance where you bring a date, ice skating in Philly during Philadelphia WinterFest, and sending each other Ninjagrams (Valentine’s Day cards delivered to you in class by Ninjas on the Friday following Valentine’s Day). All of these varying events, along with the many others, show the commitment of every single player to foster a positive and welcoming environment, from every senior to every new player. When I first arrived on campus, I was utterly shocked and amazed by the unwavering dedication to this attentive community.
On top of the many unique aspects of the varsity women’s soccer team, the Swarthmore Athletic Department writ large creates continuity and inclusivity across all teams, creating one large Swat athletic family. This can be seen in the form of barbecues, female empowerment in sports conferences and panels, and specifically the turn out at these events. The Swat athletic family is one defined by engagement. There are high levels of engagement within teams, but also engagement of the successes of other teams on campus. For instance, the Swarthmore Varsity Men’s Basketball team made it to the Final-Four last season and three of my teammates traveled all the way to Ohio to watch them play. This is just one tiny instance of the athlete-supporting-athlete mentality at the heart of this community.
Swarthmore varsity athletics has allowed me and my teammates to compete in our sport, but also to do so near our campus in the state of Pennsylvania (and states closely surrounding it). Swarthmore competes in the Centennial Conference, which the other Tri-College Consortium schools, Haverford and Bryn Mawr colleges, also compete in. These schools are not only less than 30 minutes from campus, but due to their close proximity, have created competitive and fun rivalries between the schools. Being a varsity athlete at Swarthmore has been a huge sacrifice of my time, effort, and energy, but it has also granted me opportunities to pursue other endeavors outside of the classroom. I am also involved in Swarthmore’s Student Government Organization (SGO), The Tri-College Consortium Law Review, and many other organizations on campus. This healthy Division III athletic balance is one well suited to cultivating and creating uniquely supportive team chemistry and a well-rounded athlete. Go Garnet!
