The Office of Campus Recreation offers a variety of intramural sports over the year, and volleyball and flag football will be offered this fall. Intramural sports are sports than anyone can play whether they are an athlete or not. It is free to everyone-all equipment and such are provided. All students, faculty and staff are welcome to sign-up. Michael Matherne, the director of intramural sports, said that he hopes they will be able to offer soccer-which they have never done before-towards the end of the fall semester. “It’s something that students have been showing an increasing interest in, and we would like to make that available for them,” Matherne said.

Flag football is by far the most popular sport, according to Matherne. “For flag football, we have 25 teams, with 15 players on each team, so when you do the math that’s a large number of the student body that plays.”

In the spring semester, basketball and softball are offered. Matherne said that between the four sports they normally offer throughout the year, they have over 1500 students, faculty and staff that sign-up to play intramural sports.

However, many people sign-up and play more than one sport. “We make sure that we don’t overlap any of the intramural leagues,” Matherne said, “so that anyone that wants to play more than one sport is free to do so.”

Currently, intramural sports are played in the green space nearby the Thomas Aquinas Center. Once the new field for the recreation center is completed, it will also be used. “We hope to be on the new field soon,” Matherne said. “With the new building coming online, campus recreation’s best days are ahead of us. It’ll be more exciting than ever.”

Amber Zorn, a nursing junior from Morgan City, said she enjoys watching her Delta Zeta sorority sisters play flag football. “You really don’t have to be athletic to play. It’s all for the fun of it,” Zorn said. “My sisters enjoy it, and I think it’s a great opportunity to get involved on campus.”

Volleyball is the first sport that will be offered this semester. Interested students, faculty and staff can sign-up in the Office of Campus Recreation located in the J.J. Ayo Pool office. Rosters are due by September 2nd and the league will run from September 8th to October 8th.

Rosters for flag football will be due by October 8th and that league will run from October 18th to November 18th. No dates have been set for the possible soccer league.

Matherne believes that intramural sports can be a great experience for anyone. Matherne said that students can gain important life skills through playing intramural sports by being part of a larger group which exposes them to people different than themselves and allowing them to take on a leadership role.

“Intramural sports can help students feel more attached to university,” Matherne said. “I think all the skills gained really complement an education at Nicholls.