The University offers a wide variety of club sports for students to compete in. Whether you want to stay in shape coming out of high school or just want a way to get involved around campus, the triathlon team is a sport anyone can jump into.

“There’s different levels [of competition],” founder and head coach Kendrick Gibson said. “You have some people that will train five to ten hours a week, others who train 15-20. The triathlon team is a sport for everybody. It’s something you can excel at. Among ourselves, everyone’s pretty relaxed. It is competitive, but everyone gets along great. There’s a real camaraderie.”

Anna Woods, a freshman and new member to the club, said she feels joining the club has been a great way for her to meet people.

“I love it,” Woods said. “It’s just a good thing to do. The people on the team are great. It’s really fun. I’ve met a lot of great friends that are upperclassmen. They’re really good for people that are beginners. They’ve very willing to help you improve.”

Despite the relaxed atmosphere, the sport is challenging. It involves racing in an Olympic distance, which includes a 1500m swim, a 40k bike and 10k run. Woods noted the difficulty of competing in such a challenging course.

“Well, discipline is definitely one [of the hardest parts],” Woods said. “It’s hard. It’s hard to have motivation to work out on your own. That’s one of the biggest things.”

Gibson founded the Alabama triathlon club in 2006. He has been coaching individuals on the team for three years. He has been the overall head coach, however, for only two.

Alabama competes in the USA Triathlon South Eastern Collegiate National Triathlon Conference, against all universities in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida.

In 2007, Alabama hosted the USAT Collegiate National Triathlon Championships, finishing 16th in the nation. In 2008, Alabama hosted the Championships again and improved its standing, moving up to 14th.

In the 2008-2009 season, the Tide had huge success. The male division of Alabama Triathletes finished first at the end of the season with a total of 400 points. The female division placed third, and the coed division placed first as well.

“Everybody has improved,” Gibson said. “As for individuals, they’ve been training very hard, and improving across the board.”

The Tide looks to continue that success as it is set to host the Championships again in the 2010 and 2011 seasons, using Tuscaloosa to its advantage.

“It’s actually a pretty big deal,” Gibson said. “We hosted it in 2007 and 2008. In [09-10 season], it was in Lubbock, Texas. [It’s] very convenient for Alabama to run through campus and downtown.”

As Alabama Triathletes continues to strive for success as a club team, Gibson noted the importance of this club.

“I founded the team at Alabama, so it’s pretty close to heart,” Gibson said. “I have strong ties at Alabama.”