Similar to many other families, my parents’ rule regarding sports had always been that “you had to participate in something.” Involvement in sports, thus, was always a major part of my childhood. I rotated through several before college: soccer, softball, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, karate, and many others. Karate, in particular, was where I found my calling. I enjoyed the intellectual challenge that combat sports offered, both in pushing myself during conditioning (especially true in preparation for black-belt testing) and thinking through the various motions of a bout. By coincidence, I learned about Swarthmore’s fencing team during my sophomore year of high school and was instantly intrigued. Therefore, after committing to Swarthmore, one of the first things I did was send an email to the Swarthmore Fencing Instagram page. Now, a year and a half later, I am the club’s president :). This involvement did not come about by accident.
Alongside 22 NCAA DIII teams, Swarthmore has a myriad of club and recreational sport activities. Fencing is a club sport, like badminton, rugby, squash, and ultimate frisbee. These clubs operate similarly to varsity sports but require much less commitment (in the sense that we are very much “come when you are able” teams). With fencing, we typically host practice 3-4 times a week (MWF + Sat) and have tournaments every other weekend or so. As with all extracurricular activities at Swarthmore (yay cash-free campus!), club members do not have to pay for any of their own equipment, nor travel or tournament fees. Meals bought during tournaments are reimbursed. For a sport as expensive as fencing, eliminating this financial barrier is a game-changer for many.
Fencing team field-trip to BCAF fencing academy, alongside individual pics from media day and tournaments.
This remains the case with recreational sports, too. I am a member of the Archery club and the Mother Puckers hockey club, both of which are bi-weekly intramural sports opportunities that host practices about 15 minutes off campus (the clubs travel using college vans). These clubs require even less fidelity, and the participating members will often rotate throughout the semester. Of course, there are still familiar faces at each practice, and those people truly make each practice a delight to attend.
To nobody’s surprise, fencing is the sport that I fixate most of my time on. When I began my freshman year, I was instantly enamored with the kindness and warmth I found in this club. As a beginner, when I became confused by new footwork or bladework, my entire squad (we have squads for the three Olympic weapons: foil, epee, and sabre) would immediately rush over to help me out. After practice, the fencing team gets dinner together at Crumb Cafe or the Science Center Cafe, our late-night cafes on campus. Outside of practices, I could always count on being able to talk to or share a meal with anyone on the team. My fellow members were talented, yes, but what drove us (and what made me feel so at home on the team) was camaraderie. At tournaments, I could fence knowing that my team members would be running over from all ends of the venue to film, strip-coach, and shout words of encouragement. They always celebrated my successes first and foremost, even in times of defeat. Through my teammates and coaches, I have been able to quickly evolve into a fencer that I can be proud of.
Fencing team at Olive Garden during Nationals (2025) and at a tournament at GWU (2026)
Archery and Hockey, on the other hand, are two sports that I have picked up more recently.
Archery was another sport that I had taken note of when first researching Swarthmore, so I was very excited to get started with it. At practice, we are coached by Olympians and All-Americans (which is so crazy to think about). Our after-hour attendance at the club itself allows for a lot of one-on-one instruction, so the process is much easier to pick up on (from a beginner’s perspective, at least). I have, as of late, been trying to attend weekly, and it has thus far been a very therapeutic experience. While archery is an individual sport by nature, practices are filled with so much support and banter that it never feels as though you are alone, particularly when you’re struggling. It is such a wonderful feeling.
Recent shots from archery practice. Taken from the targets that are further back, though they move the targets closer for those learning how to handle a bow for the first time.
While I am unfortunately injury-prone and have very little skating experience, hockey is another sport that I have been trying to attend more regularly. I think the Mother Puckers do an incredible job at providing opportunities for members of all different experience levels. Some people come to learn how to ice skate/skate for leisure, and may do so during the free-skate periods of practice. Outside of those times, the hockey group is split between the more and less experienced players, who alternate times on the ice. Watching the more experienced players, who glide across the rink with ease and weave between the narrow gaps beneath each other’s arms, makes me infinitely grateful for this distinction. Still, even as a newbie, I have been able to improve–held back by inexperience, certainly, but nonetheless able to direct the puck to teammates more capable of scoring.
Gear and rink for hockey practice. Pictures taken during the free-skate period.
These three sports encompass only a small portion of the available opportunities on campus. In fact, new opportunities arise every semester such as the numerous emails I get from the new sailing club. No matter one’s reasons for joining, be it to improve, make friends, or simply try something new, I truly feel that the club and intramural sports at Swarthmore are places that allow everyone, regardless of experience level, to thrive.
