By ANDREW OMRAN
Intramurals at Conestoga are bringing students together in a physically active environment like never before.
Katie McCartney, who works in the athletics department, says that the intramurals are just doing what they are meant to.
“The intramural sports are to help facilitate Conestoga students to play recreational sports against other Conestoga students.
“The friendships that are being made along the way are just a bonus,” she said.
“It allows them to meet new people and sometimes participate at a new sport they may not have played before.”
Conestoga College offers a wide variety of intramurals so there is something for everybody to enjoy.
“This semester, we offer ice hockey and ball hockey, volleyball and dodgeball. We tried basketball but we didn’t get enough interest to run the league. Then, next semester, we’re going to be running indoor soccer,” McCartney said.
The athletic department is also taking suggestions from students in regard to sports that people may not normally play.
“We have tried ultimate frisbee, European handball and a European sport called korfball (which is similar to basketball); we tried to get it up and running but there wasn’t enough interest with any of those sports,” McCartney said.
“We’ll try something out and if it doesn’t work then we move onto something else. For example, we had it (dodgeball) for a few years; before that was when we had the European handball and it didn’t work so dodgeball picked up and it’s running well,” she said.
Dodgeball and volleyball are extremely popular among Conestoga students but other seasonal sports are even more popular.
“Volleyball has been very popular in the past; right now ball hockey and ice hockey are huge. We actually have teams on the waiting list for ice hockey; and for ball hockey, we have 14 teams so lots of people are wanting to do that,” said McCartney.
Sam Jacklin, the convener for dodgeball and ice hockey, believes she knows why intramurals have been such a hit.
“I think it also helps with the whole social aspect of some people; you get to know other people.
“I know people who have met a bunch of friends through intramurals.”
The athletic department also offers drop-in times for volleyball, basketball, badminton, soccer, ice hockey and open skating.
“We’ve got drop-in times for all of those, that way students don’t have to make a commitment like an intramural sport but the time is there for them to use the gym … we’re trying to get the information out there so that they know what’s available,” said McCartney.
If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, you can contact Katie McCartney by going to the front office of the rec centre or by emailing her at kmccartney@conestogac.on.ca.
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