Intramurals at Lyndon State are a fun alternative to playing a varsity sport if you don’t have the time, commitment, or desire to play for a varsity squad.
“It is amazing – it’s intramurals,” said sophomore Shane Fleury. Intramurals are a good way to meet friends, to take a break from the stress of classes and exams, and to just go have some fun.
Cody Carlson, a sophomore human services major, thinks that our intramurals are great but can be improved. “I wish we could play more than one game a week. It is really fun and if we could have more games I think it would be better,” said Carlson.
In regards to the technical side, he had some more suggestions. “I think the clock should stop for fouls and foul shots,” said Carlson. “I transferred from Becker College and we had team uniforms (supplied by the school) and the clock stopped on whistles. It made it more game-like. Overall though, LSC has fun intramurals.”
Naturally, with intramural sports there are rules that go along with them. On the Lyndon State athletics website, www.lyndonhornets.com, there is a list of the rules for intramural sports. All students who are enrolled in at least three credits are allowed to participate in intramurals (with exceptions). All faculty and staff are also welcome to participate in intramurals.
According to the website, “The intramural program is aimed at enjoyment,” which is what most students get out of it. But there are limitations to who can participate in intramurals as well. One of the rules of intramurals states “Varsity athletes are ineligible to participate in the intramural program in the sport in which he/she is a varsity player.”
This rule got a bad response from freshman Derek Shumate. Although Shumate hasn’t participated in intramurals at LSC, he has at other colleges and he knows how much fun they can be.
“I made some kick-ass friends by meeting people through intramurals, and if the school is limiting students by not letting them play, that is a bad thing,” said Shumate. “Intramurals is about the school, and participating with your school. It seems dumb to not allow students to do this.”
Despite some of the rules, and some of the bad feelings about them, the general vibe about intramurals is a positive one.
“It is a good time. It gives everyone a chance to run around and let off some steam,” said Fleury. “With the pressure from school and classes, it is nice to have something to do to just have fun.”
Intramurals have been around for years. Jordan Royer, LSC alum from the class of 2008 said that basketball and flag football were always the two most popular intramural sports. Royer distinctly remembers the atmosphere when he played intramurals not too long ago.
“I played basketball for a few semesters, but to be honest it was almost too intense for me, who sucks at basketball. I just couldn’t get quite as pumped as others. I liked to have a good time,” said Royer.
And that is the whole point of intramurals – to have a good time. Royer remembers having a little too much fun on the sidelines at one game. “I actually got suspended once as a fan for vocally stating on a blown call by the referee,” said Royer.
“Some people do take it too far though,” Royer continues. “I guess to me they were fun but to others it was their last ditch effort to re-live their high school glory days.”