Sport Clubs
A sport club is a recognized student organization, approved by the Director of Sport Clubs and the Sport Club Committee. A Sport Club provides instructional, recreational, and competitive programming in sports activities to students. Activities for the clubs include practice sessions on campus and competitions against similar groups from other institutions and agencies in the Texas area. Competitive activities are the main emphasis of the clubs; however, meetings and social functions are also held for members. The Recreational Sports Office provides administrative support for the clubs and assists in scheduling areas and facilities for club meetings, practices and games. Partial funding for travel, competition and equipment purchases is also provided. Scholarships are not awarded for sport club participation. The Recreational Sports Office provides encouragement, guidance and supervision for existing clubs and those interested in organizing a Sport Club. Approval of clubs is limited to those sports activities that are not included in the intercollegiate sports program.
How do I start a sport club?
- Contact the Recreational Sports Office for authorization assistance.
- Apply for registration as a student organization at the Student Activities Office in the Union.
- Publicize the club on campus. Hold an organizational meeting for interested students to join the club. Designate officers, a student leader, and faculty sponsor to represent the club.
- Registered clubs, with a sports orientation, may then apply to the Assistant Director in charge of Sport Clubs for authorization as a Sport Club.
- An application and a projected budget is required and must be submitted. Each club is required to provide a schedule of proposed activities for the year, a group roster, properly completed liability waivers, and a work-out or practice schedule. Each club must abide by the rules, regulations and guidelines of the Recreational Sports Office and University of North Texas.
- The student leader and faculty sponsor will be requested to appear before the Sport Clubs Committee to support their authorization request.
- Sport Clubs authorization and a club budget will be approved or disapproved by the Director of Recreational Sports, Assistant Director and the Sport Clubs Committee.
- To become a University of North Texas Sport Club, registered clubs must apply to the Student Activities Office and be approved by the Campus Clubs Committee. This recognition, if approved, allows the club to represent the name of University of North Texas in their competition and activities.
Management
Student leadership is emphasized, and the club members plan their own schedule of activities. A club's growth is determined by active student involvement and participation. The Student Leader is the communicator with the Recreational Sports Office, and all information concerning sport club policies and procedures are directed to this person.
Sport Clubs Committee
The Sport Clubs Committee, composed of two faculty or staff members and three UNT students, is a policy making body for the Sport Clubs Program. The committee allocates student service fee funds to the approved clubs. The funds are allocated based on factors such as membership and need.
Eligibility
- Club membership is open to currently enrolled UNT students of any skill level, whether beginner or advanced.
- Several clubs have additional criteria regulating the type of membership.
- All of the clubs develop representative teams which compete against other institutions or agencies.
- A student cannot be a member of a representative team or group in a sport in which he or she has been a professional.
- A student cannot participate in a sport in the Intramural Program if he/she is listed on a sport club's roster of the same sport or like sport. A list is available in the Sport Clubs Student Leader Manual.
Objectives
- To offer students an opportunity to develop their skills and knowledge in a particular sport.
- To provide students with leadership opportunities in managing a club and scheduling activities.
- To provide partial funding for travel, competition, and equipment purchases.
- To provide assistance in scheduling areas and facilities for club meetings, practices, and games.
- To provide administrative support for the clubs.
Sport Clubs Policies
- The deadline for new clubs to apply for funding from the Recreational Sports Office is February for the spring semester.
- There is a maximum $500 allocation for the first semester for all new Sport Clubs.
- A one way, 350 mile limitation on travel has been set to encourage local travel. For travel over 350 miles, Sport Clubs Committee approval is required.
- Clubs are limited to certain allotments for their travel and competitions. Club members finance a large portion of their participation expenses from personal savings.
- Members of any club, within the Sport Clubs Program, must be registered for at least one hour of course work with the University of North Texas.
- Fund raising projects must be approved at least two weeks prior to the start of the project, by the club's faculty sponsor, Director of Recreational Sports, Assistant Director and Sport Clubs Committee.
- Any policy, regarding the internal operation of a club, may be implemented providing that the majority of club members and the Recreational Sport Office agree on the policy.
- Clubs will not be funded for tournaments which award scholarships to the individual, unless the award can be used to benefit the entire club.
Evaluation
- Each club will be reviewed comparing their projected schedule of activities with their actual accomplished activities.
- Each club will be reviewed comparing their projected expenditures of allocated funds with their actual expenditure of allocated funds.
- Each club will be reviewed with regard to the quality of service and activity to the individual members of the club.
- Each club will be reviewed regarding the memberships' record in abiding with the rules, regulations, and guidelines of the Recreational Sports Office and the University of North Texas.