IT'S NO LAUGHING MATTER. Alicia Fowler is always tough after a free throw anticipating a rebound. Many women participated in the intramural sports program this year. photo by Jim Schiefflebein. Making Friends, Having Fun "Fun, excitement and entertainment" were director Barbara Barnes' words about the Women's Intramural program, and a casual stroll by the softball field during a game proved her point. Good-natured teasing bounced around the outfield while in-fielders were poised to snag the next ground ball. The crowd even enthusiastically cheered for a good play between friendly conversations and comfortable laughter. Softball was only one of the ten sports offered by the women's intramural program this past year. Barnes stated that the three objectives of the program were to offer female students physical activities as an outlet from their studies, to give former high school athletes a chance to compete at a "quality level," and to allow girls who enjoy sports but don't have a lot of ability to play just for fun. With 65-703 of the women participating, the success of the program was evident. Barnes, who has been with the program for 26 years, contributed greatly to its success. Jennifer McMullen, a student assistant, said, "Mrs. Barnes is definitely one of the highlights of my job. I really think her presence adds to the popularity of the program." These assistant workers, however, also keenly influenced the effectiveness of intramurals. Roxi Toms, McMullen, Michelle Marshall, Leslie Hammond, and Myleea Hill had the responsibility of setting up the equipment, starting the games on time, keeping score, and supervising the smooth operation of all activities. Women at Harding participated in the athletic activities to win an intramural letter jacket and become one of the Top Ten high scorers for the year, while others merely enjoyed the physical exercise. Others played for the social aspect - the softball field and volleyball court were great places to have fun and make friends. Letterman Leslie McDowell summed it up when she said, "I like intramurals because it's a little more competitive than club sports, and it 's a wonderful opportunity to make friends." And besides, it was better than waiting in the dorm for the phone to ring. by Myleea Hill Women's Intramurals 207
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