Asbury offers a variety of intramurals during each season ranging from soccer in the early fall to volleyball when the weather cools off.
While we haven’t experienced the cold nip of the impending winter season recently, fall sports have come to a close, ushering in the time for indoor sports.
This time of year, all Asbury students have access to join an intramural team to play either co-ed volleyball or men’s basketball. For many students, this is their only opportunity to compete in sports while in school. It gives students a chance to get the team experience in a reasonable dose for their busy schedule.
“Intramurals is a great way for students to be able to play a sport they enjoy that they wouldn’t normally be able to play competitively in, it’s great physical activity for those who aren’t able to be as active during the day, and it’s a great way to meet new people and make friends,” junior Anna Thatcher said.
For others, it gives them a chance to compete in multiple sports without a scheduling conflict. This is the case for freshman golfer João Costa who competes in co-ed volleyball on the Eqip team.
“It is nice to compete in a sport that is not yours so you can have community and expand what you do,” Costa said.
With the season halfway through, they have performed well and enjoyed their time together.
While there are many reasons why students join intramurals, Costa did it to get involved as a freshman and to join his friend’s team to meet their player quota.
“I wanted to seek more community and join my friends because they needed players,” Costa said.
One of the best parts of the extracurricular for Costa is the ability to compete and satisfy the need to win.
“Winning in a competitive environment, especially when it is a real beat down on the other team, is the best,” Costa said.
Indoor sports tend to be a hit among students for this reason. Thatcher is a ref for intramurals and sees a lot of participation this time of year.
“I’d say the most popular sport is a toss-up between basketball and volleyball. Both sports have a lot of teams that sign up to play and also a lot of people that show up just to watch and cheer on their friends that are playing,” Thatcher said.
The events tend to be full of students that bring a lively atmosphere to a late-night Luce Center. Even as a referee, Thatcher is able to be a part of it and enjoy it.
“I ref for intramurals because it fits great within my busy schedule, my coworkers are my friends, and we have fun working together, and I just really enjoy the atmosphere that we’ve created,” Thatcher said.
Intramurals continue to compete until December. Volleyball plays on Monday and Wednesday, and basketball pon Tuesday and Thursday. Spectators are welcome and encouraged to cheer on their friends while they compete.
Intramurals are offered throughout the year for students.
“Students should know that intramurals are for absolutely everyone,” Thatcher said. “If you are super skilled and love sports, bring the competition. If you low-key suck but still want to join a team, come have fun and play anyway. If you don’t want to play but enjoy watching the sports, come cheer on your friends!”
