Exercise, fitness, and recreational sports are three things that the Department of Campus Recreation offers to the students and faculty at Nicholls.Through a partnership with the University Counseling Center and Department of Health services, campus recreation is committed to complementing the mission of Nicholls State through contributions to the wellness of students, faculty and staff members.
Michael Matherne, director of campus recreation, and his staff strive to foster a motivational atmosphere of fun and excitement.
At the same time, he and his staff also try to enhance the physical development of the campus through programs such as competitive intramural sports activities, league play, aerobic dance, free-weight training, swimming pool usage and individual recreational facility and equipment usage.
Flag football and volleyball are sport leagues that are offered in the fall, while softball and basketball are offered in the spring semester.
“I have had a lot of students to pick up the registration forms for both basketball and volleyball. The best part about it is that it allows the residence hall students to be involved in campus activities,” Matherne said. “We play right behind the men’s residence halls.”
Nicholls will also hold the state tournaments for intramural football and volleyball.
“We are excited that we are going to host the state tournaments, and we are going to have students from various Louisiana schools come here and play for the intramural championships,” Matherne said.
Along with the intramural sports, the Department of Campus Recreation also opens numerous gyms, tennis courts and organizes a various amount of group activity clubs.
Shaver Gym is open from 5 p.m.-9 p.m. on Sunday thorough Thursday for free play activities. This can include either basketball, indoor soccer or badminton.
Unlike Shaver Gym, the tennis courts are available to students on an everyday basis, while priority is given to Health and Physical Education classes and NSU athletics.
Campus Recreation also has sports equipment available for check-out with a valid student identification card. Items available for check-out include footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, tennis rackets, badminton rackets, shuttlecocks, golf clubs, frisbees, and horse shoes along with other equipment.
The NSU “On the Geaux” fitness club is an activity club, which campus recreation sponsors, that is modeled to create a peer motivated exercise atmosphere. Participants log fitness minutes at several locations on campus, while prizes are awarded as exercises reach milestones.
Men’s club soccer is currently available through the office of Campus Rec. The team is scheduled to play a few schools inside the state of Louisiana.
