A group of students at Nicholls are creating a men’s club soccer team that will compete against other universities starting later this fall.
Nicholls has been without a men’s soccer team since the late 1980s, when the varsity team was discontinued. Interest to bring the sport back at the club level has led to the beginning of a new men’s soccer team.
Intramural Recreation Coordinator, Kristen Fillmore, is aiding the students in putting the team together.
“We’re getting a broader international community, but at the same time, soccer is becoming a fast growing sport, especially down here in south Louisiana,” Fillmore said. “Soccer’s been around forever in other countries, but it’s really just starting to take off in the United States.”
Unlike varsity sports that are sanctioned by the NCAA, a club sport is only affiliated with the university. Clubs sports operate similarly to other student organizations on campus. Funding can be raised by collecting dues from its members or by outside fundraisers.
Despite being in its early stages, the club is already beginning to hammer out the necessary details. It hopes to begin play next fall in the Louisiana Conference of the Texas College Soccer League.
The TCSL, a league affiliated with the National Intramural and Recreation Sports Association, includes member clubs at universities such as LSU, Texas and Texas A&M
While the TCSL has already begun play, potential scrimmages are being discussed with other members of the league for the spring.  UL-Lafayette, UL-Monroe and Texas A&M-Texarkana could potentially be Nicholls’ first opponents.
It is likely that the club will play their home games on the intramural fields behind the Harold J. Callais Memorial Recreation Center.
Both undergraduate and graduate students can join the club. Students must carry at least six credit hours to be eligible.
An interest and information meeting is scheduled for August 28th at 3 pm in the recreation center.
“[The club] provides a sense of camaraderie and teaches leadership,” Fillmore said, “and for the students involved, it gives them a sense of pride as they compete under their university’s name.”
Adam Shicksnider, a senior history major, and Logan Hodgson, a senior health and physical education majhor, are two of the students behind the building of the new club.
“Coming from high school, playing in school, I think it would be cool to have a collegiate team,” Shicksnider said.
Hodgson is looking forward to beginning play next fall.
“I expect success. Anytime you step on the field you expect to win, but we realize that it’s an ongoing process. We have to start somewhere before we can get to the top,” Hodgson said.
The men’s soccer club team will join the cycling club, which competes under US Cycling’s Collegiate Cycling program, as Nicholls’ two club sport organizations.