Your Go-To Guide to Solano Club Sports
As part of the transition to becoming Cal Poly Solano Campus, many of the current Maritime intercollegiate athletics programs will have the opportunity to shift to Club Sports, effective July 1, 2025.
Affected Teams
| MEN's |
Women's |
|---|
| Crew |
Crew |
| Cross Country |
Cross Country |
| Golf |
Golf |
| Rugby |
Rugby |
| Water Polo |
Water Polo |
| Sailing |
If your team is not listed, you will receive updates about your operations for 2025-26 at a later date.
Transition Guide
- REVIEW THIS PAGE – Visit and read the steps outlined on this resource page and the frequently asked questions. Here you will find templates and forms to support you in your club registration process.
- ATTEND A TRANSITION WORKSHOP - Join one of the workshops to learn more about transitioning your team from collegiate athletics to club sports. Sarah Hawkins, Associate Director, Leadership & Service at Cal Poly will cover how to petition for club recognition, how to register your club for active status, and how to learn more about the CSU Club Sports program.
View Slides // View Recording
- PETITION FOR CLUB RECOGNITION - Designate a president and four additional students who want to petition for status as a Recognized Student Organization (aka “club”). The petition will be submitted via Microsoft Forms and then routed for signature via AdobeSign.
- BYLAWS - Complete the bylaws for the club using a template we will provide. The bylaws must be submitted in addition to the petition.
- OFFICERS – Your president (the petition submitter) and the additional petitioners should identify a treasurer for the next registration period. A Club Sports advisor will be identified for you as part of the registration process. Optionally, a co-president can also be identified. President, Co-President (if applicable), and Treasurer complete the 2025-26 Club Officer and Advisor Training.
- ORGANIZATION REGISTRATION – Once the petition for recognition is approved, the prospective president will register the club for active status for 2025-26. Registration requires the following:
- GENERAL INFORMATION - The Organization Description Summary is the short intro to your club that will be displayed on the Organization Directory.
- WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA - If you have an additional external website, feel free to include it here. For social media, include the full URLs to any platforms where your club has a presence.
- CONTACT INFORMATION - Add as little or as much as you like, but we highly recommend that you have a club email address listed.
- PROFILE PICTURE/LOGO – For display on the Organization Directory
- ROSTER - Provide a roster of all members and their position assignments in the template provided.
Resources
Branding
Effective July 1, 2025, Club Sports at the Solano Campus will be able to use Cal Poly Club Sports branding. For more information, contact Ashley Jones Lee - atjones@calpoly.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my scholarship be honored?
Your athletic scholarship will continue to be honored for its original duration as long as you remain enrolled and meet eligibility requirements.
Will I still be able to participate in my sport at a competitive level?
Cal Poly Club Sports compete at a high level in a national governing body (NGB) specific to each sport.
Will my team automatically become a club sport?
No, you will need to petition for recognition and register your club for active status. Clubs are student-run and student-managed, but Cal Poly Clubs & Organizations will support you step-by-step through the process.
Do our Men's and Women's teams of the same sport have to be separate clubs?
Not necessarily. If both teams share a similar competitive schedule and are willing to operate under shared leadership, then teams can combine. For example, at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo Crew (Rowing), Cross Country (Distance), Golf, Rugby, and Sailing all operate as unified teams.
Will the club sport teams operate the same as they did as athletics teams?
Your access to some services, equipment, and funding will change.
Will I have access to the same facilities, equipment, and services as I did when my team was under athletics?
This depends on the facility/service/equipment, and on which team you participated.
- PEAC - Club sports athletics will have the same access to PEAC facilities as all other students, including the weight room and general locker rooms.
- Training Equipment - Decisions have not been made at this time. Expect team-specific communication in the future.
- Athletic Training Services - The availability of athletic trainers for Club Sports at Solano is unknown at this time.
- Travel Planning - Student officers will be responsible for planning their own travel with the assistance of the Club Sports Coordinator.
- Budget - Club Sports are majority funded through dues, fundraising, and donations. Some funding may be available through student government; the exact amounts are still to be determined.
- Home Event Support - Student officers will be responsible for securing event space, officials, and timing/scoring support.
- Insurance - Club Sports are covered under the CSU Club Sports Insurance Policy. For information on coverage, contact Sarah Hawkins - shawki06@calpoly.edu
What expenses should we budget for?
Club Sports teams are responsible for covering all costs through dues, fundraising, and sponsorship.
Common costs include:
- Governing body/league dues
- Tournament/competition registration fees
- Facility rentals
- Uniforms and equipment
- Coach salary
- Officials
- Event staffing (Athletic trainers, lifeguards, etc.)
- Gas & vehicle rentals
- Lodging
- Airfare
We have a budget tool available on our Cal Poly Now page (under Documents) that can help you plan.
Do we have to have a coach?
You are only required to have a coach if your NGB requires it. If you do have a coach, the coach has to complete all CSU Sport Club Requirements prior to starting with the team. More information is available in the slides/recording.
What can I name my team?
Cal Maritime will be known as Cal Poly Solano Campus, however you do not have to use that in your name. We do recommend that you use Solano somewhere in your name for clarification in the club directory.
We we hold tryouts and make cuts?
The CSU has a policy that all clubs be open to every student, however Club Sports RSOs are able to distinguish between a general member and someone on the competitive roster.
Additional Questions
For additional questions, please contact shawki06@calpoly.edu.
