The university’s sports clubs have become increasingly popular over the years, and this upcoming season, the Saluki Climbing Club is looking forward to gaining new members.

The Climbing Club has made it clear that the traditional, yet ordinary, sports are not always the most interesting sports.

Club president and officer David Hug, a graduate student from Waterloo studying outdoor recreation, said he thinks the Saluki Climbers are among the state’s best. He said the club hopes to expand its members this upcoming season, and the last few years, club members have nearly tripled in numbers.

In the spring, Hug said the class had 27 paid members, and 20 of those members attended the team’s Spring Break trip.

“Every year for spring break, the Climbing Club takes a team trip,” he said. “In the past two years, club members have traveled to places such as Las Vegas and Arizona.”

Hug said the team travels nearly every weekend to participate in various climbing competitions.

Thaddeus Portz, a senior from Effingham studying mechanical engineering and a scheduling officer and active club member, said competitions are hard-core. Members said one of the trips they look most forward to is a trip to compete at Climb So ILL gym and the Upper Limits gym, both located in St. Louis, where they take on SIUE.

“We are all good friends having a good time, but there is a floating trophy that goes back and forth between us,” Portz said. “When it comes down to it, you can call us bitter rivals.”

Hug said although the climbers compete competitively, the group members do much more outside of climbing. The SIU climbing members are very active in the community. They have volunteers who come and help at events wherever is necessary, he said.

Hug said the climbing team is open to the experienced climber, as well as the inexperienced, and members welcome everyone who would like to be involved.

“Our members have done a lot to get people involved in climbing, and we want to open this new world to people,” he said.

Philip Jordan, a junior from North Aurora studying Architectural Studies is a newer member of the team.

“Last year I just walked by, and decided to give it a try,” Jordan said. “The climbing members helped me out a lot. They’re really nice and more than happy to help.”

Portz said although sports clubs are about showing your love and passion for the sport, joining sports clubs is another way to share similarities, network with others and get involved on campus.

Ashley Bolin, a sophomore from Willowbrook studying zoology and Climbing Club Vice-President, said the club is a way to meet new people and to feel more comfortable on campus.

“We are all about growing, and we are more than happy to teach people what we do,” She said.

As the Saluki Climbing Club looks forward to the new club season, the team encourages all interested members to stop by and become a Saluki Club Climber.

This year the climbing club looks forward to outdoor competitions, as well as new climbing members who are interested in becoming a part of the climbing family.