Intramural sports on campus occur throughout the school year. Some people consider intramurals some of the best “seasons” on campus. They allow for everyone to participate and compete against other students and athletes even if the athletes do not play on the varsity teams.
“I like coordinating the Forester Intramural program because it offers an opportunity for all students on campus to participate in sports,” Director of Athletic Programming/ Intramurals Coordinator, Blake Theisen said. “Most of our intramurals are team-oriented and, in my opinion, there are a lot of practical life lessons one can learn by being part of a team.”
Currently, there are nine intramural sports throughout the school year. Lake Forest College hosts badminton, flag football, indoor soccer, and table tennis in the fall; basketball, ice hockey, indoor soccer, and volleyball (4’s) in the winter; and badminton and volleyball (6’s) in the spring. Aside from these weekly competitions, Lake Forest also hosts one-day events in the spring, which consist of tennis, Ry’s Run 5K, and indoor soccer.
Participation varies by sport, but indoor soccer and volleyball, on average, typically draw about 50 to 75 participants; flag football has about 30 participants; badminton receives around 20 participants; ice hockey draws about 25 students; and Ry’s Run and basketball bring in between 80 to 120 students, which makes them two of the largest intramural sports on campus.
Sports differ every year based on of the amount of interest and number of participants. “Since I have been here (for four years), the numbers have risen each year,” Theisen said. “Making each league run efficiently takes a good amount of commitment and I’m really thankful for the great student-workers who help make them happen.”
Colin Jackson ’17 competes in two intramural sports and has found “students come from all walks of life to showcase their skills on the court and the turf. Intramural sports hold a rare blend of creativity, competition, and talent.”
Team chemistry and cohesion are keys for success in the intramural rankings, according to Jackson. “My favorite part of being a member of intramural sports is seeing students and faculty alike giving their all every Tuesday and Thursday night,” he said.
Indoor soccer takes place in the Sports and Recreation Center on the turf field. Basketball and volleyball games (Tues/ Thurs nights, Mon/Wed nights, respectively) can be viewed in the wood court in the Sports and Recreation Center. Ice hockey takes place in the Ice Rink on campus. Badminton is run in the main gym in the Sports and Recreation Center. Table tennis is hosted at the Mohr Student Center. Ry’s Run takes place outdoors behind and next to the on-campus ice rink. All intramurals run throughout the week, but the biggest nights for competition are typically Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday.
“It is fun to see teams form as first and second year students and stick together. By the time they are upperclassmen, some of the teams develop really good chemistry and are fun to watch,” Theisen. The biggest part of all intramural sports is winning the championship t-shirt at the end and claiming bragging rights for that season. Everyone wants to walk around campus representing his or her team and sport, which makes the games more enjoyable. It is all for that shirt….
Intramurals are organized through the Lake Forest College Athletics Department and student workers. All intramural sports are free to sign up. For more information on joining intramural sports, contact Blake Theisen in the athletic offices in Halas Hall.
