From lacrosse to rugby, NIU offers a variety of activities to satisfy the sports fanatic.

The Club Sports program is sponsoring a call-out tonight from 7 to 9 p.m. for questions.

Since more people are becoming interested in joining a sport, 18 clubs will be set up in the Recreation Center lounge to promote their sport, said Fabian DeRozario, Office of Campus Recreation coordinator.

For the more highly-competitive individuals, the program offers hockey, bowling, lacrosse, rugby, volleyball and women’s soccer, he said. Each club travels to compete with different schools around the country.

“The NIU Lacrosse Club competes in intercollegiate competition and teaches leadership skills,” said Bill Polasky, vice president and coach. This year the team has been invited to play in the Big Ten Conference.

“It’s really a big step for us as a club to compete with big schools,” he said.

Polasky said he encourages anyone interested in helping the team to achieve victory to look into the Lacrosse Club.

With determination and dedication, the Women’s Soccer Club became an addition to the program last September, said Angie Raiff, club president.

Raiff said she wants to keep the sport going as strong as it has been in the past.

The team is headed down to St. Louis for a tournament at the end of January, she said. In addition, they are buying new uniforms in the spring.

“I really wanted to see this work and now it’s booming,” Raiff said. “It’s great to work with people who are really into soccer.”

Anyone interested in enhancing riding skills can look into the NIU Cycling Club, said club president Kyley Ortman.

The club sponsors bicycle trips, races, workshops and plenty of competition for riders of all levels, he said.

“If cycling is where your interests fall, then check us out because we have a lot to offer,” Ortman said.

The program also offers various martial arts clubs for learning self-defense, DeRozario said. These include akido, tae kwon do, hap-ki-do, shotokan karate and shitoryo karate.

The Club Sports program is run by students and gives individuals the opportunity to form common-interest organizations, he said.