The Sport Clubs Program is administered by the Department of University Recreation. Sport Clubs are started, organized, and managed by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students. Sport Clubs are only open to segregated fee-paying UW-Milwaukee students.

The Sport Clubs program brings together current UWM Students that share a common interest and offers members the opportunity to grow within their leadership, teamwork, and competitive skills. Other benefits include living a healthy active lifestyle, team camaraderie, lifelong friends, professional development, and lots of fun. Whether you are seeking a high level of competition, learning a new sport or skill, or simply wanting to meet new people or enjoy some recreational fun, Sport Clubs can offer you a great experience.

Most Sport Clubs recruit new members in the beginning of fall semester, but some take new members at any point of the year. In order to join a club, check the full list of active sport clubs. With each link you will find contact information for the desired club. Contact the president and they will be able to give you all the information to join their club. 

Most clubs are open to anyone who either wants to continue an activity they currently participate in or to anyone who wants to try a new sport. However, there are a few clubs that do hold try-outs due to their competitive nature, limited facilities, and roster size.

The number of weekly practices and competitions vary widely for each club. Some clubs practice up to four days of week and compete every weekend, while others practice just one day a week and compete just three times a semester. You can contact the club president of the team that you are interested in to find out specific practice and competition information.

Sport Clubs are run by the student officers in the club. A club must have a least four officers. The officers are responsible for the successful operations of the club including, but not limited to budgeting, scheduling practices and events, fundraising, policy adherence and communicating with the Sport Clubs administrative staff. Some clubs do have volunteer coaches that work with club leaders to improve the athletic skills of club members.

The cost of being a member of a sport club greatly varies depending on which club you are interested in joining. Each team has team dues either annually or by semester, but additional costs could be added depending on personal gear, equipment, travel and other club activities.

The Sport Clubs Leadership Council (SCLC) is the student advisory group of the Sport Clubs Program. The council works with the Sport Clubs Program Staff in shaping the future of the Sport Clubs program and assisting the administration, including disciplinary review and the evaluation of annual club budget requests. All sport club members are eligible to run for a position on the SCLC (president, vice president, treasurer, campus relations coordinator).

The Sport Clubs Program is always growing to meet the needs of the UWM student population. Students interested in forming a new sport club must meet all listed criteria and need to follow the listed steps in the recognition process. Please note the entire process may take several weeks, months, or even years from start to finish depending upon your club and the time of year.

Please note that the entire process may take several weeks if not months to complete depending on what type of club you are wanting to form and the time during the school year you initiate the process.

Criteria

1. Must compete against other institutions of higher education in a “sport.”
2. Be a member of a governing collegiate sport club league or association.
3. Entire membership consists of UWM undergraduate and/or graduate segregated university fee-paying students.
4. The mission, charter, and bylaws cannot be a duplication or inherently similar to that of an existing UWM Sport Club.
5. Operate as a not-for-profit organization, as demonstrated by evidence that the organization uses any income or profit for organizational purposes, not for any individual or commercial gain.
6. Agree to abide by policies set forth in the Student Organization Manual, Student Handbook, Sport Clubs Handbook, Sport Club Bylaws, Sport Club Constitution, and UWM and UW-System Administrative policies and regulations.
7. Identify a faculty or staff advisor employed by UWM (Student Employees, Teaching, Research, or Graduate Assistants do not qualify). The Sport Clubs administrative staff can serve as the advisor for any club sport clubs in need.
8. Agree to abide by local, state, and federal laws and ordinances and to avoid unlawful actions in connection with any of their activities;
9. Identify at least four UWM student officers currently enrolled in a degree program, on a fee-paying (Segregated University Fee) basis for at least half-time. As used in this policy, “half-time” status means enrollment for a minimum of six credits as an undergraduate student, and enrollment for a minimum of four credits as a graduate student;

If you need assistance or have questions, Sport Clubs Program Professional staff can be contacted at sportclubs@uwm.edu