Sometimes it’s hard to meet new people in college or stay active with the many obligations students carry. The Student Recreation and Wellness Center has a solution for both problems – intramural sports.

During the year, the rec center has more than 40 different leagues and tournaments that can interest anyone, ranging from basketball to bowling.

“I love intramural sports because it gives me the chance to play the same sports I played during high school without the commitment to a full-time program,” said Megan Ebert, communication studies major and three-year intramural sports player. “I am always meeting new people and having a good time.”

This fall, seven team events are offered – beach volleyball, softball, flag football, indoor volleyball, dodgeball and basketball. Also offered are four individual or dual events – golf tournament, tennis, badminton and college bowl football game predictions.

The costs of participating in these different leagues vary from $5 per person to $100 per team.

Be aware of deadlines, however, because they creep up quickly. The nearest registration deadline is Sept. 6 for beach volleyball. Registration begins on the first day of classes and ends at 5 p.m. on the deadline date.

The intramural sports schedule changes each semester and different activities will be offered in the spring. One of the most popular spring semester intramural events is broomball, which takes place at the ice arena.

This event consists of playing a game of hockey, minus the skates. Teams have six people running on the ice in tennis shoes and sticks trying to hit a ball into a goal.

“The sticks look almost like paddles,” said Suhail Atassi, ice arena employee and broomball score keeper. “Sometimes it gets really competitive, but other times it’s people who just want to have some fun.”

Intramural sports are available to all full-time or part-time Kent State students. Intercollegiate athletes, however, are not allowed to participate in a similar intramural sport. For example, a football player would not be allowed to participate in flag football. If this rule is broken, every game where the illegal participant was used will be automatically forfeited, according to the intramural handbook.

Registration forms and a full list of intramural sports and schedules can be found at the Student Recreation and Wellness Web site at www.recservices.kent.edu/index.asp.

Contact student wellness and recreation reporter Laura Rushnok at [email protected].