For the first time ever, intramural tennis joins bowling, softball and ultimate frisbee as the four sports offered in the spring. Tennis takes the place of volleyball, which got bumped due to renovations to Sherwood Athletic Center that began over spring break.
Tennis was chosen over 10 other sports that the intramural committee also considered. Some of the other sports that were reviewed were swimming, kickball, track and field and even outdoor volleyball. Tennis was ultimately selected because of its feasibility and its better team focus than other options like swimming or track and field.
“Most of the things we knocked off the list were due to space reasons because it had to take place on spaces that were filled by all three of the other sports,” said IM Committee Co-Chairman Claudia Yeung.
Outdoor volleyball was the other one closely considered, but it didn’t offer the fresh blood that tennis did.
“Volleyball and tennis were the ones that seemed to work the best, and tennis won out because of wanting to try something different,” said IM Committee member Eli Asch.
For some, the change isn’t so welcoming.
“I was actually really disappointed that IM volleyball was cancelled because I’m a really big volleyball player. I’m pretty excited for IM tennis, but at the same time I don’t think it quite has the team aspect that a lot of other sports have,” said sophomore Kyl Wellman.
Regardless of tennis or volleyball, though, the spring IM season offers a different vibe than any other IM season.
“It’s great because we get to be outside in good weather for the whole season,” said Asch. “The fall has football and the big one in the winter is basketball, both of which can get pretty intense, which isn’t to say that frisbee doesn’t, but obviously the culture surrounding that sport is a little different.”
The spring is also the busiest of the IM seasons with at least two more sports going on than at any other point in the year. However, due to crafty scheduling it is still possible for someone to play every one of the sports in the spring.
“The four sports all use different space,” said Yeung. “Every sport just kind of has its own domain so it kind of works out.”
The weather is also a factor in offering so many options with spring being a more pleasant environment to participate outside than during the frigid winters.
“In soccer season, the weather gets pretty bad so we can’t really fit another outdoor sport there,” said Yeung.
Enrollment so far in each of the spring sports has mirrored the photosynthetic excitement from the IM committee members. Tennis has eight Division I teams and around 10 Division II teams and bowling is overbooked with teams wanting to play.
Whether due to spring weather or the sports selected, the current slate of intramurals lend themselves to a fun, relaxing time outside, which is the most important thing about IM sports to Yeung.
“Love is in the air this time of the year,” said Asch. “It’s spring again so we can be happy, finally.”
