You’re still trying to stay in shape, and not only do you not have the time, what with the part time job, full time school schedule, and a jam-packed social calendar, but maybe something about the gym environment turns you off and club sports seem too competitive. We share a similar dilemma. I have been struggling to find solutions. As inches grow on my beltline, lately it seems I’m ruled by fear, trepidation, until now.
You’re still trying to stay in shape, and not only do you not have the time, what with the part time job, full time school schedule, and a jam-packed social calendar, but maybe something about the gym environment turns you off and club sports seem too competitive. We share a similar dilemma. I have been struggling to find solutions. As inches grow on my beltline, lately it seems I’m ruled by fear, trepidation, until now.
Starting this fall the intramural sports program is making some changes to popular sports like soccer and basketball. In the past, the intramural program bracketed teams based on their levels of competition, judged by each team’s first three games. Under this scheme it was conceivable to pair a hyper competitive team against a team just in fun. This year they re-tooled their Outdoor Soccer League by separating them into competitive and recreational brackets before the first game is played.
With more control over thier level of commitment, students have one less excuse to join. For instance, if you decided to play Outdoor Soccer this fall you could just show up to games, play, and be on your way. If you’re like me though, not aligned with a large group of friends, you might wonder how the teams are assembled. A captain might pick you from the free agent pool, or as sports coordinator Spencer Sorensen informed me, if there are enough of free agents, they might end up all on one team.
The eight-on-eight outdoor soccer leagues begin Oct. 4, with four-on-four flag football starting Oct. 2, and four-on-four volleyball Oct. 1. Sign-ups begin Sept. 24 with deadline on Oct.4. The cost to join is five dollars for free agents and 40 dollars for a team.
Maybe you want to steer clear of the idea of team play, but still have an opportunity to run up and down a field and be involved in every play. Perhaps becoming an intramural sports official is your calling, but if you’re like me, fear of confrontation looms large.
Maybe Sorensen can squash it: “All of our games are student officiated, and trained in house, so I think that’s one of the beauties of it, if we have a conduct issue where one of the players is choosing to be a poor sport towards the official, they’re being poor sports toward their fellow students. It certainly adds another level of accountability.”
They are hiring at least one official this fall. If this interests you, apply at pdx.edu/recreation/employment-leadership, but you’ll have to be fast, as the deadline for application submission is Thursday, Sept. 27 at 5 p.m.
Traditional ball sports aren’t your bag? A Halloween dodgeball tournament is slotted as a new event this fall. Or maybe you and your friends have a better idea. If it’s reasonable and has legs beyond a one-time event, Sorensen is willing to field your ideas.
Some of the more novel ideas coming later in the school year are an ultimate frisbee league and the indoor triathlon. The triathlon will be 20 minutes each in swimming, running and stationary cycling. What a lot of people aren’t aware of is the triathlon can be performed as a team. Since you’re good at running, and I’m pretty good at swimming, maybe together we can find someone good at cycling, and have a legitimate shot at this thing.
To learn more about the program, go to the Intramurals office on the second floor of the Rec Center, or visit their website at pdx.edu/recreation/intramurals.
