Bosco is a senior English and secondary education double major and can be contacted at [email protected].
The mainstream sports of intramurals tend to saturate most of the time and talk throughout the program. The popularity of flag football, soccer and basketball is undeniable, but the forgotten little leagues often bring a little extra color and character to the playing field.
If you are looking for a quick shot at a potential championship, one of the less common leagues may be what you are looking for. One of the unknown sports held in the first season of fall intramurals was pickle-ball. The tournament was held in just one night for those who actually showed up and a winner was crowned. Google Images is great for a swift and average understanding of what pickle-ball actually is. Another tournament was held in mid-September this year, and it required only mildly-experienced card players. The Texas Hold’em league took place during parent’s weekend and added a new dynamic to intramurals inspired by our elders. By letting our parents in on the fun, we have successfully been able to share the pure joy and excitement of intramurals with our extended generations.
Other shorter-length sports our program offered in the first few months of school included badminton, the three-on-three basketball tournament and racquetball. All these leagues typically last no more than a few days but also add the incentive of playing with very few players. If you are finally fed-up with those team leagues that require you to find three friends to play, maybe it’s time to find a league that allows you to really shine in front of everyone.
Another contest which recently finished its first round was the three-point/free-throw contest. Co-rec basketball players have been approached and prodded this past week to participate. Four champions will be awarded once the scores have been calculated. The one male and one female who scored the most free-throws out of a potential 20 will receive a T-shirt. The one male and one female who score the most three-pointers out of a potential 30 will receive a T-shirt and a trip to Iowa State University to represent Drake in a final three-point contest at halftime in one of the school’s basketball games.
In the weeks to come, the dodgeball and broomball leagues will also commence. The “five D’s of dodgeball” may be widely known, but broomball may offer some ambiguity to your life worth acknowledging. The game is similar to hockey, but the only talents you need for this one are staying warm out on an ice rink and moving in a somewhat-controlled manner with sneakers on the ice.
If most of the understated leagues of intramurals have been trivial to you all year, the best way to stay in the loop for the future is to like the “Drake University Intramurals” Facebook page and sign-up on the “IM Leagues” website. These portals hold the most updated information about the program and may even feature your picture as a champion. The program is not exclusive to glorifying champions, so whether you win flag football, racquet ball or a free-throw contest, we will do our best to catch you for a photo and present you with the campus-renowned intramural champion T-shirt.
I am still waiting for the highly-anticipated five-point play in the Co-rec basketball league, but if any girl has managed to accomplish it unbeknownst to my recognition, please let me know. Aside from the politics of the over-analyzed “Title IX” rules, the extra point awarded to females in this league is an interesting and beneficial dynamic that I know every team has appreciated and scorned at some point. Continue the great competition, and begin to prepare your teams for playoffs after Thanksgiving break. This includes bringing your Drake ID’s and verifying your spot on your team’s online registration. And with any aroused contention, I will make sure to keep a copy of this article at the check-in table to confirm that you were indeed notified.
