Just before 5 a.m. on a weekday, the sun has not even risen yet and State College is a silent and dark town — except for one apartment on South Burrowes Street where members of the Penn State crew team live.

There, the light in the living room shines on a paddle hanging on the wall.

The blue paddle with white triangles is twice as long as its users are tall. It has been passed down from coach to teammate to teammate, and now will always hang over the living room of the apartment the men's crew team shares, Neil Pernick (junior-industrial engineering) said.

Here in the dark, five members of the Penn State men's crew team leave to go to their predawn practice at the White Building.

"The five of us walking out of the apartment together at 5 a.m. is definitely better than walking alone," Pernick said.

While members of NCAA Division I athletes receive special housing consideration on campus, the hundreds of students involved in club sports receive no special considerations.

This doesn't keep some from living together.

Club sports members often live together off campus for many of the same reasons that varsity sports teams are assigned to live together on campus, said Lynn DuBois, the assistant director of assignment for Housing and Food Services.

Because athletes spend so much time training at early hours, they often find it beneficial to live with other students who share their difficult schedules, she said.

"They have similar requirements as far as practices," DuBois said. "It helps them to live together, and on the side they build friendships which help on the team."

On campus, varsity team members are assigned to live with other athletes on the same team, and often in dorms close to their practice facility.

Athletes also were not entered into the lottery and were guaranteed student housing, DuBois said.

But, even for club sports, athletes have found the same benefits, just a few more blocks away from campus.

For the members of Penn State's Triathlon Club, living together means there is constantly someone to help the miles pass by, Matt Beaugard (senior-finance-biotechnology) said.

"(Living together) helps with the training," he said. "The club always calls here to see if there's someone to ride with."

In Beaugard's house of nine people, the majority of students living there are involved with either the Triathlon or Cycling clubs.

Everything about the house indicates that athletes live there.

At one time last year, 23 bicycles were in the house. With so many people who ride, there is even a dedicated spot in the house for the bikes.

There are also four refrigerators and a room full of canned goods.

And, of course, lots of pasta.

Despite their similar training requirements, living together can also lead to additional tensions among the athletes. Problems that occur before or after practice can mean problems during practice as well.

"If there's tension in the house, then there's also tension in training," Beaugard said.

Members of the Penn State women's lacrosse team are looking forward to living together next year. They will be taking over the house where the men's lacrosse team lives now on East Fairmount Avenue.

In November, when team members found out the men's team would be moving out, they jumped on the lease, Kelly Keefer (senior-kinesiology), club president, said.

Their new house has a big yard and a front porch. Inside, the three floors and basement contain six bedrooms and most of the lacrosse players who will live there will have their own bedroom. Keefer hopes to develop even stronger friendships with her teammates.

"I love the girls on my team," she said. "I love hanging out with them. They are people I get along with."

With all the hours club sport athletes spend practicing with their teammates, they form close friendships that naturally lead to off-the-field bonds.

"With the team, you grow close like family," Pernick said. "Why not live with them?"

Besides getting along well with teammates, living together can help club sports members perform better.

"As part of a team, if you know someone, you may help motivate them," DuBois said. "If someone is not doing as well, it helps if there are friendships there."

When they are not training, the crew team's apartment is just like any other apartment with friends living together. It's "not special because of being on crew," Pernick said.

Instead, the friends that live there have formed close friendships that extend beyond being in a boat at 5 a.m.

Keefer agreed, adding that her teammates are her best friends, and living together only helps the team. She anticipates the new house -- and roommates -- she will share next year.

"It's going to be fun," she said. "It's going to make us a stronger team.

"We will know each other better and push each other," she said.