With nearly 40 sport clubs and dozens of intramural leagues, the terminology can quickly get confusing. When you find sports you didn’t even know existed, like Trap & Skeet, Sailing, or Action Ball, you might not even know where to start.

Don’t worry. We won’t have you out there sounding like an amateur. Here are 26 sports terms that will help you fit right in to your next athletic adventure with Rec Sports:

All-star (noun)

Another name for Rec Sports Aggies in hundreds of athletic programs.

Bullseye (noun)

The center of a target in archery or shooting.

Cadence (noun)

The rate at which a cyclist is turning the pedals of a bike per minute.

Disc (noun)

The flat piece of equipment, usually plastic, used in ultimate frisbee or disc golf. Also known as a frisbee.

Eggbeater kick (noun)

A style of kicking in which a water polo player alternates one-legged breaststroke kicks.

Fast break (noun)

When the offensive players of a basketball or handball team quickly get the ball towards the scoring area without giving the defense a chance to catch up.

Goal (noun)

What Aggies score.

Harrison Hoist (noun)

A goalie technique in netball where one player is lifted up by another to catch the ball and prevent a goal.

Intramurals (noun)

Rec Sports tournaments where Aggies have the opportunity to play against other Aggies in many different sports, all in the pursuit of the highly sought-after IM Championship T-shirt.

Jab (noun)

A type of punch in most martial arts in which the leading fist is thrown directly ahead with the arm fully extended.

Kitchen (noun)

The non-volley zone that spans seven feet out from the net on both sides of a pickleball court, in which players cannot step unless the ball has bounced.

Libero (noun)

A volleyball position in which the player specializes in defense and covers balls across the entire court, never serving or rotating to the front line. 

Mallet (noun)

A long, wooden stick with a perpendicular cylinder on the end, used for striking the ball in polo.

National Championship (noun)

What Rec Sports Sport Clubs win.

Outfield (noun)

The area in cricket, baseball, or softball further from the batter and infield area. 

Power play (noun)

An interval of ice hockey, lacrosse, or other similar sports, in which one team has more players in the game than the other team, usually due to a foul or infraction on the part of the other team.

Quiver (noun)

The container in which an archer stores arrows.

Ruck (noun)

A stage of Rugby play, where standing players from both teams, in physical contact with each other, surround the ball on the ground.

Sportsmanship (noun)

A characteristic Aggies display at sporting events.

Turkey (noun)

Three consecutive strikes in bowling.

Underdog (noun)

A competitor who has a lower likelihood of winning. 

Vault (noun)

A gymnastics event in which the gymnast pushes off of and over the springboard with their hands.

Winner (noun)

Synonym for Aggie.

XC (noun)

An acronym for cross country, referring to a long-distance trek via foot or bike.

Yielding parry (noun)

A fencing parry in which an attack is countered by adjusting blades to a more favorable position without losing contact.

Zone (noun)

As in “Aggies are in the…”

Written by: Claire Frazier