open to all Each year many Harding students participated in a number of sports offered through the university’s intramural program.The intramural program offered a variety of sports and healthy competition, but perhaps the most appealing aspect of intramural sports to many students was the fact that the program was open to everyone, regardless of experience or skill level. “Intramurals are nice because every level of person can play, whether they played in high school or not,” senior Cole Coubrough, an intramural assistant, said.“The program is fun because it is still competitive for people who have experience but is also enjoyable for those who don’t.” The intramural program provided students with the opportunity to participate in team sports, such as basketball, football, archery and the softball throw for distance, among many others.With such a broad range of sports for students to participate in, the intramural program was sure to offer any sports fan a place to compete and find their niche. Through participation in the intramural program, students also had the opportunity to receive a jacket based on points they earned throughout the year. Intramural teams were selected by reviewing forms that participants filled out prior to the season. Before each sport began, each participant was required to fill out a form that listed their years of experience in the sport, height and skill level, among other characteristics, in order to choose fair and balanced teams. According to Men’s Intramurals Director and Assistant Professor Jim Gowen, other important aspects of the intramural program included the opportunity it provided participants to stay in shape as well as the chance to form new relationships. “The physical fitness aspect of intramurals is very important,” Gowen said. “But the program also allows students to form friendships through competition. Intramural sports tend to mix a lot of people together who might not know each other, but by playing on the same team, they sometimes become good friends.” Gowen also said that the program hoped to continually improve and make a few changes in the future. “We’re adding new teams each year in order to make the program better,” Gowen said. “We’re also hoping to create a web page within the next year that would list game times and details. I think being on the internet will be more convenient for students than checking the board in the student center.” [Tyler Neese] [intramurals] 31 Intramural sports provide athletic opportunities for everyone
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