Zachary Shaw
Copy Editor

Lewis and Clark Community College offers a total of 10 varsity sports, and currently 17 different student clubs and organizations to participate in, intramural sports is not among the available options.

Intramurals are organized recreational sports for people in a certain institution, most cases being colleges, to take part in friendly and competitive competitions. Intramural sports can cover a wide range of athletic games from basketball to badminton.

Many students use intramural sports as a way to continue playing a sport, a social outlet, and a means of exercise.

“They [intramural sports] help students mesh and meet new people, and they also give students the opportunity to engage in developmental activities outside of their academic commitments,” said Art major Dylan Howland.

L&C’s lack of intramural sporting leagues can be pointed to several problematic areas including: scheduling conflicts, and limited available space.

“Because of differences in student schedules, it is difficult to schedule agreed upon times for intramural sports, which occur for extended periods of time.  Also, many students don’t stay on campus for events and activities. Limited space is an issue because of the number of athletic teams that use the gym for practice and competition,” Sean Hill, Vice President of Student Engagement, said.

However, L&C once held several different intramural leagues, with the most recent being more than 15 years ago. While the campus does not offer these specific leagues, the college’s student activities club has sponsored one day tournaments for various sports which have included: dodgeball, volleyball, kickball, basketball, wiffle ball, ping-pong, floor hockey, and soccer. These one-day tournaments have been running for the past three years.

“I would love to see intramural sports become an on-going option for students,” Hill said. In addition, Hill noted that funds are available for intramural athletics.

While intramural sports are currently not offered, that can be changed with the voice of the students. Students wanting to return intramurals to L&C should contact Jared Hennings, coordinator for Student Activities, at jhenning@lc.edu or in River Bend Arena Room 126.

 

Contact Zach at zshaw@lc.edu