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Home / Cadet Life / Clubs And Societies / Club Sports and Recreational Organizations

Club Sports and Recreational Organizations

Club sports and recreational teams are all about relaxing with friends, friendly competition and fun. Don’t see your favorite sport or activity below? No problem, with a few friends you can probably start your own club.

Chartered Club Sports

Chartered club teams compete against comparable college clubs including Division I institutions and the other service academies. The level of interest among cadets in the chartered clubs listed is strong and spirited in terms of roster size, fan support, and their alumni base. The Women’s Rugby team, Rifle team and Pistol team have a tradition of national success. Much of the leadership and fundraising for chartered clubs comes from team members and their parents. Coaching and administrative oversight comes from volunteer alumni, staff, and faculty. Many cadets regard chartered club teams as the best of all worlds! For club sport schedules and rosters, see Coast Guard Athletics Club Sports.

The USCGA Bear’s Ice Hockey Team competes in the NECHA Division II Club Hockey League. The team plays a competitive schedule against neighboring colleges’ club programs. Practice is held three times a week with one to two games each weekend from early October through March. Dayton Arena at Connecticut College, just up the street from CGA is the home rink for the club. Anyone interested in playing is encouraged to try out for the team at the beginning of each season.
The Bears competes against the other service academies, local and regional college teams in Air, Standard and Sport. Women and men welcome. The team practices at a local range.
The Bears compete against the other service academies, local and regional college teams in Smallbore and Air. Women and men welcome. The team practices at a local range.

Since 1968 the Bears have clawed their way up from playing Division IV in a Stonington cow pasture to the 2006 DII National Champions. Since 2012, the Bears have been conference winners 3 times, runner-up conference champions twice, went undefeated in 2016, and have competed in the National Championships 4 times in 15’s rugby and twice in 7’s rugby. In 2016 the men held a final ranking of 5th place and have been nationally ranked in the top 20 for 6 of the last 8 years.

  • 2018 3rd place Conference Standing
  • 2017 Runner Up – National Rank top 20
  • 2016 Conference Champs 7s – National Rank 5th
  • 2016 Conference Champs – National Rank 5th
  • 2015 Conference Champs 7’s – National Rank 7th
  • 2015 Runner Up – National Rank 12
  • 2014 Conference Champs – National Rank 8
  • 2012 Conference Champs – National Rank 8

No prior experience is necessary – potential ruggers don’t have to know anything about rugby to join the team; they just must be willing to work hard, get dirty and be dedicated. The game is not for the faint of heart. It involves non-stop running, hitting and tackling, and the team prides itself on a strenuous training program to develop endurance, strength and confidence. The team is a close-knit group of women who excel on and off the field.

Women’s Rugby began in 1999 with a small group of cadets practicing on whatever patch of grass was available. The team now competes in the top tier of the New England Collegiate Rugby Conference (NEWCRC) at a Division II level. They have won the Conference Championship six consecutive times since 2013, and have advanced to the USA Rugby DII Final Four Fall Championship in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 and finished the season ranked third nationally in each of those years. One cadet, a 2019 graduate, is in the talent evaluation pool for the EAGLEs, the U.S. National Team.

For more information, visit their Facebook page.

The Coast Guard Academy Triathlon Club is a group of cadet athletes who compete in Olympic and sprint distance triathlons. Each cadet participating receives training and daily practice in all three disciplines: swim, bike, and run. The Triathlon Club competes against DI, DII, and DIII Universities within the Northeast Collegiate Triathlon Conference. The season is the first five weeks of the fall semester with two Olympic and three sprint triathlons. Top performing cadets will train through the winter and race in USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals in the spring.

Recreational Organizations

The Adventure Sports Club provides cadets opportunities to experience the great outdoors of New England through activities such as hiking, camping, rock climbing, white water rafting, etc. Participation in the club allows cadets to use the rock climbing wall on the fifth deck of Roland Hall to learn from a certified teacher how to climb. The club provides community service to organizations such as the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC).

The Coast Guard Academy Alpine Ski Team is a group of cadets and faculty who share a love of the sport of alpine ski racing. Student-led with volunteer coaches, the team competes in the U.S. Collegiate Ski Association’s McBrine Division and races against several other local colleges during the winter months. The team won third place in the Eastern Cup race during its inaugural 2020 season and is growing into a strong division contender.

Over the course of the season, the team travels to several mountains in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut to train and compete in 6 weekends of racing. No racing experience is necessary. The only requirement is a desire to improve skiing skills and an enjoyment of the sport of ski racing.

The Archery Club offers cadets the opportunity to learn the sport of archery. Members travel to a local range every other week to develop their skills using targets. This cadet-led club holds morale events throughout the year where they shoot at objects such as pumpkins or balloons.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is a grappling system that uses positional advantage to submit opponents primarily using throws, chokes and joint locks. It has competitive and combative applications and is a core skill set of modern mixed martial arts (MMA) and military and law enforcement combative systems. The BJJ club meets twice a week and is open to all cadets, CG military, and civilian personnel. The club competes with other service academies and in regional tournaments throughout the year.

The Cycling Club aims to help cadets engage in the sport of cycling at all levels and in all disciplines. The club supports cadets in cycling competitions within the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference. Races are held in a variety of formats including Time Trial, Criterium (crit), Road Race, Cyclocross and Mountain Bike. Beyond competing, the club’s goals are to support cadets of all ability levels through helping with cycle maintenance, promoting safe riding practices, training support and organizing group rides.
The Drill Team is a very visible group that represents the Coast Guard Academy and the United States Coast Guard at a wide variety of events such as Regimental Reviews, parades, sporting events, local military events, and more. The team also takes part in drill meets to compete with other service academies and ROTC programs. The exhibition platoon is made up of 12 cadets who train rigorously to memorize and perfect the performance sequence, which is executed in the absence of any verbal commands.
The Equestrian Club provides cadets the opportunity to expand or maintain their equine knowledge and riding skill by providing horseback riding lessons and trail rides at local stables and equestrian centers. Members who have competed, or wish to begin competing, are given the opportunity to participate in a variety of equestrian events, including Intercollegiate Horse Show Association events. Membership in the club provides an interesting, healthy, physical activity that allows cadets to unwind outside of the Academy while building relationships with community members and enjoying Connecticut’s scenic outdoors.
The Fencing Club teaches cadets the art of fencing. It does not matter if new members have fenced before as experienced members are willing to teach them. The club conducts mini competitions with each other after learning new moves. This sport promotes fitness, mental and physical agility, coordination, balance and timing. The club has conducted a demonstration of their fencing skills during an intermission at a Providence Bruins game.
The Golf Club provides cadets with the opportunity to play golf at local courses during the daily athletic period. The club began a partnership with the First Tee of Connecticut, an international youth development organization that introduces the game of golf and its inherent values to young people. Club members conduct community service events where they mentor the younger members of the First Tee organization. The Golf Club organizes the graduation week golf tournament each year in May.

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy’s Scuba Club promotes opportunities for cadets to engage in recreational diving and associated activities. Emphasizing knowledge and skill development, situational awareness and operational risk management, the club serves to broaden understanding, instill passion and deepen respect for marine and other aquatic environments that will serve them in their future careers as Coast Guard officers. The Scuba Club is active during the academic year, supporting local shore and charter boat recreational diving.

The Ski and Snowboard Club allows cadets to travel to the mountains of New England on winter weekends to enjoy skiing and snowboarding. The club established a ride sharing program where 1/c cadets will drive underclass to various ski destinations in the region. The club also provides information on resorts that offer military discount tickets and rental rates. They also provide fellow skiers and snowboarders with weekly snow reports throughout the season.
The Surf Club is comprised of a tight knit group of cadets, faculty and staff who all share a love of surfing. When conditions are favorable, they are able to surf several spots in close proximity to the Academy. Some favorite surf spots include Point Judith, Greenhill, Matunuck, and Narragansett. Most of the Surf Club members are experienced surfers; however, cadets willing to learn are always welcome.
The Sustainability Club has improved recycling on base and throughout Chase Hall, the cadet barracks. The club performs environmental community service events and works to increase interest in green practices, like gardening, within the Corps of Cadets.
Toastmasters is a public speaking club that gives members a chance to practice their public speaking skills in front of an audience and receive feedback. The club has members from local Toastmasters groups like the Niantic Toastmasters Club who come to CGA meetings to share their experiences with public speaking. The club provides a supportive and positive learning environment and it is a great place to overcome fear of public speaking, develop confidence and hone presentation skills.
The Men’s Volleyball Club participates in the New England Collegiate Volleyball League. It is a cadet-run club that competes throughout both the fall and spring semesters.
The Yoga Club promotes a constant in a time of constant changes. Participation in the club helps alleviate stress and anxiety in all aspects of cadet lives. Yoga improves balance and stability within bodies and lives and membership in the club builds a sense of community. Yoga is a mind-body workout combining strengthening and stretching poses with deep breathing and relaxation.
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