Competitive Organizations

All prospective competitive organizations must first seek registration as a Registered Student Organization (“RSO”). For more information about registering a new organization, visit the registration website.

After receiving RSO status, the prospective competitive organization must complete the Prospective Competitive Organization Application found on GetInvolvedUC. Once the application has been submitted, the Center for Student Involvement will review the materials and communicate with the organization. 

In addition to meeting the requirements for RSOs, Competitive Organizations must also meet the following requirements:  

• If applicable, name a coach/instructor.  The coach/instructor cannot be a current UC student and must be at least 21 years of age. Graduate students may not serve as a coach/instructor. 
• The Coach/instructor must complete the Coaches/Instructor agreement before the first scheduled practice/game/event.  
• Select a representative who must attend the monthly Competitive Organization Council meetings. Attendance at all monthly meetings is required or the Competitive Organization will be deducted $25 from their allocation per occurrence.
• Officers must attend their respective assigned leadership training. Attendance at all training courses is required or the Competitive Organization will be deducted $25 from their allocation per occurrence.

While coaches/instructors may be volunteers, their participation in the Competitive Organization requires that they uphold the University’s rules, policies, procedures and guidelines.

Annual Requirements for All Coaches/Instructors:

• Complete a background check through UC’s Department of Public Safety
• Complete the Coach/Instructor Agreement form 

• Plan and oversee safe instruction and training for various skill levels during practices and, when appropriate, will monitor performance to evaluate skill levels for recognition, promotion, or assignment of competitive teams.
• Refrain from activities involved in the Competitive Organization’s management. A Competitive Organization is first and foremost a student organization, and the student officers must be the liaison between the Competitive Organization and UC staff.
• Oversight of finances should remain the responsibility of the advisor and student leaders, a coach/instructor shall not have the Competitive Organization’s bank account information. 
• If the Competitive Organization utilizes space in the Campus Recreation Center (“CRC”), the coach’s/instructor’s name must be on file with CRC staff.   

Please Note: For those Competitive Organizations with coaches/instructors that are not UC faculty or staff, the coaches/instructors are not eligible to use UC funding for traveling purposes. Parking passes for dates can be purchased in advance at or from Parking Services.

When additional funding is available, each Competitive Organization in good standing may submit additional funds requests for expenses not accounted for in their annual budget request. Priority for these requests will go to Competitive Organizations that have on-track spending of their initial allocation and incurred unexpected expenses like qualifying for additional competitions. Additional funding is not guaranteed to be available. 

Club Sports organizations are a registered student organization (RSO) that promotes and develops interest in a particular sport or physical activity while building valuable leadership skills. The UC Club Sports Organizations provides a wide range of instructional, recreational, and competitive athletic opportunities, emphasizing student leadership, organization, and team management. The 43+ Club Sports organizations offer students a chance to be part of a team, run an organization, and represent University of Cincinnati while competing against and traveling to other universities. 

Find a list of all Club Sport Organizations that are currently offered at uptown campus on GetInvolvedUC.  Please note that Club Sports are not part of the National Collegiate Athletics Association. 

As a member of the Club Sports community, Club Sport organizations must attend at least two service events per academic year. Each service event must be at least 3 hours long and have 4 members in attendance to fulfill the requirement. 

• Complete CPR/First Aid Certification before first practice of the year and maintain certification throughout the academic year. 
• Submit Accident Reports within 24 hours of the accident occurring.  
• Keep and bring a first aid kit to all events.  Annually, the Center for Student Involvement will supply two first aid kits.

If an accident/injury occurs during participation in any Club Sport activity, the Club Sport’s safety officer must complete an Accident Report within 24 hours of the accident occurring.  If an accident/injury occurs due to unsafe equipment and/or conditions, the safety officers must also submit an Unsafe Equipment/Conditions Report.

All UC Club Sport participants and coaches must review the Concussion Fact Sheet.

All UC Club Sport members must sign a concussion acknowledgment form, as part of the participant registration that notifies participants of concussion baseline testing availability.  

A concussion education session will be part of the Safety Officers Symposium presented by the Center for Student Involvement & NovaCare/UC Orthopedic. It will take place each fall semester and all Safety Officers are required to attend. All Club Sports officers and any other members are strongly encouraged to attend.  

All Club Sport participants involved in “high-impact” sports [I.e., club ice hockey/men’s rugby/women’s rugby/men’s soccer/women’s soccer Aussie Rules football] are strongly encouraged to have a SCAT6 concussion baseline test on file with the NovaCare Athletic Training staff. This test needs to be performed by a medical professional. The NovaCare Athletic Training staff can perform this test at no cost. SCAT6 testing is available for all UC Club Sports upon request. To arrange an appointment to take the test email Jerry Holloway. 

1. Members should familiarize themselves with the Concussion Fact Sheet. The Club Sport member is immediately removed from play if concussion-like symptoms are present.  
2. The Club Sport safety officer or coach will provide a sideline assessment following Pocket SCAT2 Guidelines for identifying concussion. An accident report must be completed within 24 hours of the incident. 
3. A Club Sport member that loses consciousness or whose condition worsens will immediately be transported to the closest hospital (must be escorted with team member).  
4. A Club Sport member who is conscious but has exhibited 2 or more signs and/or symptoms of a concussion is to be referred to NovaCare and/or their physician.  
5. Club Sport members will notify physicians upon arrival of SCAT6 baseline availability.  

1. Return to play is a medical decision that must be made by a Physician/NovaCare athletic trainer.
2. The Club Sport athlete MAY NOT RETURN to practice or competition without the written consent of the NovaCare Athletic Trainer or a Physician.  
3. The Club Sport must ensure that no participant returns to play until the athlete has completed a graduated return-to-play protocol.  
4. A follow-up SCAT6 test(s) will be given post-concussion as directed by the NovaCare Athletic Training staff or a physician.  

1. Cleared to begin graduated return to play protocol. 
2. Follow-up SCAT6 test required.  
3. Return appointment with physician required.

Due to privacy laws the Center for Student Involvement professional staff do not have the consent to view a medical diagnosis without the participant's written consent. The physician and testing services specialist consulting with the Center for Student Involvement is required to limit any return-to-play notes with this understanding. 

Club Sport organizations are eligible to work with NovaCare athletic trainer, Jerry Holloway. Jerry has office hours open in 265 Lindner Center Tuesdays from 3pm –5:30pm and Thursdays from 9am – 12pm. 

Jerry can be contacted by email: jholloway@novacare.com

All full-time students who participate in Club Sports must have a valid Bearcats Card to enter the Campus Recreation Center (CRC). 

All part-time enrollees, students attending satellite campuses, and/or students on co-op will only be able to enter the CRC by: (1) purchasing a semester pass, or (2) buying a “day guest pass” for each visit.

Each Club Sport will be entitled to two coach’s/instructor’s passes to enter the CRC.  The coach’s/instructor’s name will be provided to the CRC upon completion of all coach/instructor requirements. Any additional coach/instructor must purchase an individual CRC semester pass or a “day guest pass” to enter the facility. For more information, please contact the CRC.

Club Sports must adhere to the UC Winter Weather Policy. If UC announces official closings/delays due to inclement weather, all Club Sports will follow the same guidelines. If UC delays the start of the day, all practices and events scheduled during that time (i.e., morning practices) are cancelled. Any practices and events scheduled during operating hours (i.e., afternoon or evening practices) will take place as scheduled.

E-Sports organizations are RSOs that seek to provide a safe and fun gaming environment for UC students to compete against other universities. 

Find a list of all E-Sports Organizations that are currently offered at the uptown campus on GetInvolvedUC.

1. All prizes, regardless of the amount, related to E-Sports events should be paid directly to the University as follows: 
   1. Checks should be made payable to The University of Cincinnati – E-SPORT CLUB NAME.
   2. If proceeds are sent via ACH/wire method, the Financial Administrator will follow UC Treasury instructions.
   3. Cash prizes should be given to the Financial Administrator
   4. The Business Office of Competitive Organizations will allocate the prize money to the appropriate E-Sports organization account using their designated fund.
2. If the E-Sport Organization wants to move the money to their organization’s bank account, they will request reimbursement via a Purchase Request submission. 
3. If the E-Sport Organization wants to pay the money to individual students, this will be done in the manner currently established by the business office; ensuring any implications from a financial aid perspective have been considered.  

An Academic Intercollegiate Competition (AIC) organization is defined as an RSO organization that participates in academic (non-athletic) competitive events with other college and university organizations.

Find a list of all AIC Organizations that are currently offered at the uptown campus on GetInvolvedUC.