Intramural sports offer fun for students on campus

Fitness and Recreation Center provides athletic alternative to the gym

Emily Nickles, Editor-in-Chief

Spring intramural sign-ups have already begun for leagues and individual competitions. For students unfamiliar with what an intramural sport is, it is an opportunity for students to take part in a team sport while not being a part of official university sports teams.

Students do not have to dedicate the extensive hours required for university teams, and all skill levels are welcome to participate. This spring, the traditional women’s, men’s and co-ed basketball and indoor soccer leagues will be open. Wheelchair basketball, designed for kinesiology students, and sand volleyball will also be open. In addition to the traditional sports available, the Fitness  and Recreation Center has created certain day tournaments and competitions that students can sign-up for.

Available this spring is a battleship tournament, kayak water polo and a bench press competition. Supervisor of Recreational Sports Gabe Cruz shared why he chose to add nontraditional sporting events to the roster: “I wanted to add different things that ‘not the normal student’ would participate in. I think there is a lot of intimidation sometimes when it comes to competitive sports, so I wanted to provide fun alternatives.”

According to Cruz, some solo events have seen great feedback. The first bench press competition last spring received 40 participants. Cruz stated: “There’s a few tournaments I’ll repeat. Battleship, I’ll do once a semester, and the reason is that it’s so popular.”

Junior and Nutrition Wellness major Jason Davison has participated in numerous intramural sports at the Fit and Rec, including benching as well as two different levels of court volleyball and dodgeball.

Davison shared his experience in a phone interview: “I’ve totally enjoyed [intramurals]. It’s nice that they offer a wide variety, like last spring there was a bench press competition.”

He added: “I see myself as an all-around athlete, so I try to participate in everything I can, whatever works with my schedule.” Jason also mentioned how the availability of leagues for different genders and co-ed, allowed everyone to have a fair advantage in regards to different levels and skill sets.