Spring intramurals: now or never

Competition is the name of the game in college. Students compete for grades, for internships, for a place in the line at the Subway in Smith. But what if those contests are insufficient? What if someone needs more challenge than that?

Spring intramurals start up this week and may offer just the exercise and stress-reducing competition a student needs. Campus’ best-kept secret could always use more participants in this spring’s intramural leagues.

Soccer, for both men and women, kicked off Tuesday on the artificial turf north of the Peter W. Stott Center. Teams ran short-field games and played with shrunken goals and no goalies. Players zigzagged on the pitch, the six-on-six games giving everybody a chance to touch the ball and feel a little burn.

Men and women were playing together Tuesday, but there will be a separate women’s league on Tuesdays from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. The men’s league is on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and is also from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Remember that no sign-ups are accepted after the end of next week, April 18.

Wednesdays will feature basketball along with the men’s soccer leagues. Basketball starts at 6 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m. Thursdays, students can have fun playing spring flag football. Remember it’s easy to sign yourself or your team up.

First, the intramurals Web site has a downloadable team roster form. All a team has to do is download a form, fill it out and return it to the intramurals office in the Stott Center, Room 102.

Or, if you’re an individual wanting to play in one of the spring’s sports, you can e-mail the intramural office with your name, e-mail address and phone number, and they’ll put you on a free-agent list of the sport you wish to compete in.

Also, people wishing to play can just go to the soccer, basketball or flag football games this week and next to sign up.

To register for an intramural sport, students must sign a liability waiver, complete a registration sheet and show their valid PSU identification. Students must also pay a $5 fee. Faculty, staff and alumni must pay $10.

For more information, the IM office in Room 102 of the Stott Center is staffed from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays. For more information, the office phone number is 503-725-5647. You can e-mail the staff at [email protected]. The intramurals Web site is www.intramurals.pdx.edu.

Remember, no sign-ups are allowed after April 18, so get cracking if you want to have some fun with your fellow students this spring with intramural spring sports.