Students find more motivation to workout at the Recreation and Wellness Center now because of a new rule change.

Since the opening of the rec center, shirts with sleeves were enforced to all of those who would be working out.

The only place sleeveless shirts were allowed to be worn were the basketball courts. That was until May 24, when that rule changed.

“Surveys showed that the people wanted sleeveless shirts,” said Jason Hawk, head marketing director at the rec center. “We didn’t want to make the change before, but since we put towels and spray bottles at each machine now, research shows that the Recreation Center is now cleaner.”

Hawk also said it’s tough to make everyone happy, but that he likes to hear the people’s concerns about making the rec center a better place for its patrons.

Since the rule change, there haven’t been any problems with students cooperating with the staff on the change.

“It really hasn’t affected me. The students seem to be cooperating well,” said Caitlin Kelley, a guest services assistant at the rec center. “I think it’s better because a lot of people prefer to wear tank tops when they workout.”

The people who seem to be most enthusiastic about the change are males.

Before the rule change, if someone was wearing a sleeveless shirt they would have to put on a white T-shirt that read “SRWC” in the middle of it, or they would just be asked to go home and change into a shirt with sleeves.

“It definitely makes me want to work out more,” said Ryan Zwolenik, a sophomore exploratory major. “It also motivates me for the girls, so I will always try to keep one eye over my shoulder to check and see if any girls are looking while I’m working out.”

Almost all of the students returning to Kent State who worked out at the rec center last year knew about the old rule, but some incoming freshman had no idea about it.

“It would have sucked if I would have come here and had to workout in a white T-shirt because I didn’t know the rule,” said Jackie Merrit, a freshman exploratory major. “I’m definitely glad they made the rule change even though I had no idea about it.”

Merrit would have not been the only freshman to be upset if she walked into the rec center to find out she would have to put on a different shirt.

“I definitely would have been mad if I knew I had to put on another shirt to workout,” said freshman exploratory major Steven Butch. “I would have mainly been upset because I wouldn’t be able to show off my guns.”

Contact Darian Thomas [email protected].