Barry is a junior radio-television and secondary education double major and can be reached at [email protected].

This week marks the end of intramural volleyball season. Our champions have pulled away from the pack and have received their coveted T-shirts. So far, Soapy Dirth, Phi Delta Chi and Kappa Psi have been the first volleyball winners. These teams truly understand the saying on the back of their shirts: “We’re kind of a big deal.”

Those of you non-intramural athletes might be thinking, “Kind of a big deal? You are playing for a T-shirt.” Players get more from intramurals than just a T-shirt. Players learn more about themselves and their limitations. Now, before you readers roll your eyes and put the paper down, bear with me. This is not as ridiculous as it sounds.

My first example came courtesy of SAE versus Theta Chi. There is no way to describe Friday’s football games other than miserable. Rain and almost freezing temperatures set the scene for the playoff rematch. As all you knowledgeable athletes know, if you are not signed up on IM leagues before playoffs, you cannot play. Due to an unfortunate miscommunication between captain and players, one player from each team had to sit out.

Now, most logical people would pack up their stuff and get out of the freezing rain. Not these players. They stayed the entire game to support their teammates. It is also important to note that both of these players were wearing shorts. One of the players was lucky enough to have a winter hat. Only one word can be used to describe what I witnessed this Friday: dedication. Intramurals show players how far they are willing to go to support their teams. With no more incentive than a T-shirt, players sacrifice their bodies for their teams. Intramurals also teach players their limitations.

Twenty-two does not seem old. Twenty-two might be considered the prime of youth, according to many adults. However, upperclassmen learn a valuable lesson about youth during intramurals. Beware of first-years. First-years come out of high school at a peak of athleticism. Even diligent upperclassmen cannot keep up with the physical workouts of first-years. Intramurals can be a rude awakening reminding upperclassmen that they are not as physically fit as they were four years ago.

However, instead of focusing on the fact that upperclassmen are feeling their limitations, it allows them to make a new discovery: recruit first-years. There is no down-side to having a mix of ages on a team. Experienced seniors can teach the rules of intramurals to younger students, and younger students can pick up the slack from upperclassmen. In that way, intramurals helps cooperative learning amongst students of all ages.

Before I wish you all luck with playoffs, just a quick reminder as we approach basketball season. One of the most commonly argued rules in intramural basketball is an over-the-back foul. There is no over-the-back call in intramurals. If a foul is committed, it is called a push. The reason behind this is because of the very obvious height differences among players. Over-the-back would be called constantly if there was an uneven matchup between a short person and a tall person. Our goal is to have you play an enjoyable game without having to make calls all the time. On that note, stay safe and play ball!