By Grace Apostol
News Co-Editor
The 2022 fall semester is in full swing, and campus recreation has begun. On Aug. 18, Coordinator for Campus Recreation Evan Clayton sent a campus-wide email regarding the recreational opportunities for students this semester.
According to the email, students have the opportunity to join intramural sports like “soccer, volleyball, [and] ultimate frisbee.”
According to Clayton, registration for IM soccer is open until Sept. 8., with volleyball sign-up to follow soon after. “All students, staff, and faculty are eligible and encouraged to start or join a team,” Clayton said. “In addition to soccer and volleyball, I also want to run flag football, ultimate frisbee, kickball, and badminton this fall.”
Students can sign up using IMLeagues, and according to Clayton, there will be more instructions on how to do so in the coming weeks.
The email also said that the College community could take free group fitness and yoga classes through WC’s Johnson Fitness Center. “Classes range from beginner yoga to barre cardio. The full schedule will be posted later this month, and will continue to evolve as more classes are added,” the email said.
Regarding fitness classes, Clayton hopes to expand the number of courses in the future. “Currently, we have five yoga classes and one group cardio class, but I am working on expanding both the yoga and group fitness class offerings,” Clayton said. “The schedule for what is available starting next week will be going out to the campus community this afternoon [Friday].”
In addition to IM sports and fitness classes, club sports are another option for the community to get involved recreationally.
There are several club sports options for those in the community who want to be more involved competitively in sports. These club sports include the equestrian team, mixed martial arts, soccer, ShoreFit, women’s lacrosse, ESports, rugby, and disc golf.
Senior and President of the Equestrian Club Leann Standridge has been a part of the club team for three years.
According to Standridge, being a club member entails “coming to meetings, hosting fundraisers, helping at events, optional riding, [the] option to come to team events, and building athletic relationships with other club and team members.
Another club sport, golf, is newly implemented for students this semester.
According to the email sent out by Director of Athletic Communications and Academic Affairs David Gansell on Sept. 2, “Washington College will begin National Collegiate Athletic Association play and compete for Centennial Conference championships beginning with the 2023-2024 season.”
According to Clayton, students can also use recreational equipment for sports, including table tennis, foosball, indoor soccer, and basketball.
Another club sport that the College implemented last academic year is the disc golf club. President and Co-Founder of the club junior Parker Hayden believes disc golf is very promising.
“In my mind there is so much to be excited for with this club, regardless of if they are actually feasible or not,” Hayden said. “Disc golf as a whole is still in its early stages compared to other sports, but the speed at which the sport is growing is astounding. Because of this, I think there’s a lot of opportunities that we can and should strive for.”
Clayton also encourages students to apply for positions with recreational activities across campus. According to his email, the College is looking for “students to help by working as officials, field supervisors, group fitness instructors, and yoga instructors.”
“I also hire students for multiple roles on campus, and students interested in working for Campus Recreation can check out JobX for the postings,” he said.
Joining campus recreation, specifically club sports, is a great opportunity, according to Standridge.
“I believe students should get involved in campus recreation like the equestrian team because it is an opportunity to make new friends and build relationships while doing something you enjoy, and possibly learn new things,” Standridge said. “The equestrian club and team specifically lets you have relaxing time with animals to wind down any stress from classes.”
Hayden shared the sentiment of great opportunity within club sports.
“Campus recreation, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to go and meet new people while also going out and participating in something new or something you know you enjoy,” Hayden said. “On top of that, club sports give an additional challenge to be a bit more active than other types of clubs might not be able to provide.”
Regarding the new year with new campus recreation, Clayton is excited to meet new students.
“I am most excited to meet all the new students this year,” Clayton said. “I enjoy helping everyone get out and play sports that they love.”