Hi, my name is Briana O’Sullivan, and I am a jock. This fact is surprising, considering my lack of hand-eye coordination, absent athletic prowess and overall sagging muscle tone. Did I mention that I never played a sport in high school, and that I was actually the marching band captain? And I played concert bassoon? Because there is also that.
But, when I came to the University of Florida, I was determined to try something new. And I was in desperate need of friends, so I was eager to shack up with any club I could find, regardless of the activity. Then, lo and behold on the first day of my collegiate career rugby was in Turlington Plaza in a shameless attempt to find new recruits. Four years, a semester’s hiatus and one broken collar bone later, and I still find myself going back to rugby for more. Why?
Practices take up two nights a week. Then, with games on Saturday across the state and southern United States, my weekends are shot, including Fridays. It has done absolutely nothing for my GPA other than to start a slow decent into academic apathy. Yet try as I might, I just can’t quit rugby.
This to me is fascinating, because I am one of hundreds at UF with the same story. People who will never be a professional athlete, and yet still find themselves sacrificing study time for practices. We could just as easily go to the gym at our leisure, but it’s not the same. There is something about being on a team that gets under our skin, and sooner or later we find ourselves organizing our schedules around games and asking for better sports equipment for Christmas.
That’s what I will be exploring in this blog: why people at the University of Florida put in all the work they do for their rinky-dink sport club for little to no recognition. And of course, the weirdos who make-up these clubs, from the campus Rubik’s cube enthusiasts to the triathletes, and what they think about their conceptions of their sport.
Now, a few disclaimers. As previously mentioned, I am a current member of the women’s rugby club, and I used to row with the women’s novice crew. Thus, I promise not to write about them (or avoid as best I can) in the interest of journalistic integrity. I will try to be as witty and adventurous as possible, but should a blog post fall flat, cut me a break, OK? I’m taking four classes with a lot of reading this semester and God help me, I will graduate on time.
Enjoy the blog, and as always feel free to contact me to tell you what you think,
Briana O’Sullivan
