The effects of Hurricane Katrina may cause the cancellation of volleyball during the fall semester of intramural play, according to Michael Matherne, director of campus recreation.Volleyball, football and lacrosse comprise the fall sports that campus recreation had planned to offer students this semester. Matherne does not know where or even if volleyball will be held this year.
“We’re currently reviewing the start dates,” Matherne said. “I know for sure we’ll play flag football. We’re looking for an alternate site for volleyball because both of our gyms have evacuees.”
Originally, Shaver Gym was designated for volleyball.
Matherne said football and lacrosse will still play at the same locations. Lacrosse will practice at the field north of St. Thomas Aquinas Church, while flag football will play on the field north of the soccer field by family housing.
The signup date has been extended for flag football from Sept. 6 to Sept. 19. Matherne anticipates the season will start Sept. 27 instead of Sept. 12. The football season will still be six weeks.
The flag football league will have male and female squads. Matherne said co-rec flag football teams would have been offered, but “nobody ever signs up.”
Normally, intramurals are not overlapped so students can participate in all sports, but that might change this year.
“It’s a bunch of different variables,” Matherne said. “We don’t know if we can play volleyball. We may have some overlap in seasons.”
Volleyball was scheduled to start the week after football season concludes. Teams would consist of male, female and co-rec squads. Matherne said the season would last a couple of weeks if it were held. He said he will get in touch with local high schools and the city of Thibodaux to try to locate a site for volleyball.
The minimum number of people who can comprise a volleyball or football team is nine. The maximum is 15 for both men’s and women’s football and 12 for all three divisions of volleyball. If available, the maximum for co-rec football would total 16.
The champions for volleyball and football are crowned at the season’s end. Three champions from the three divisions in volleyball will go to the state tournament, while champions from the two divisions and an additional men’s or women’s squad will be taken for football.
Matherne said all students, faculty and staff members can participate in intramurals. He said it does not matter how many hours a student carries. New students who came to Nicholls due to the hurricane can also partake if they have their Colonel Card.
“As long as they’re just enrolled (they can participate),” Matherne said. “The only thing that we mandate is that they bring their Colonel Card to every game and a positive attitude.”
Rosters for teams to sign up are at Ayo Pool. Rosters need to be completed and returned to the department. Campus recreation handles game times, schedules, referee assignments and the drawing of tournament brackets.
The lacrosse squad has a new head coach this year as Billy Tauzin III returns to the helm after a semester off. The club was likely to have begun practice Tuesday or Wednesday, according to Virgilio Gurdian, business administration and marketing senior from Nicaragua and club captain.
“The practice (will) start at four, but the captains will show up at 3:30 p.m. to get everything ready for when the coach gets there,” Gurdian said.
The team was scheduled to play Tulane University and possibly Loyola New Orleans, but Gurdian said that is cancelled.
The club will play Louisiana State University and the New Orleans Club, a team consisting of many people that played at ranked universities and on semipro squads, along with holding clinics to recruit high school students to introduce them to the basics of lacrosse.
“We’re going to have the first games in a month depending on how fast LSU can get ready because that’s the only team we can get fast,” Gurdian said. “Right now it’s mostly LSU and the New Orleans team.”
Alfredo Soler, mass communication senior from Costa Rica and club captain, said the club could possibly participate in the “Fall Classic” at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, depending on the club’s budget. Gurdian said the team is planning fundraisers in an attempt to raise money.
Matherne said students can still sign up in the fall semester and in the spring for lacrosse because the season doesn’t begin until the spring.
Gurdian said there are currently seven freshmen, but more students usually hear about lacrosse and come to practice, which he said is welcomed.
Although the weight equipment upstairs in Stopher Gym is currently inaccessible to students because evacuees occupy the gym, Matherne said students can use the weight equipment in Chabert Hall, which is located behind Barker Hall, in the fall. Hours for usage are from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Students must have their Colonel Card to use the equipment.
