Athleticism and staying active in college
As an athletic individual in my former high school years I was very excited to learn that I could continue playing the sports I enjoyed in college. The intramural sports offered include: racquetball, Ultimate Frisbee, badminton, outdoor/indoor soccer and volleyball, basketball, flag football and even video game tournaments!
Most of these sports require at least two or more persons to form a team, dependent on the sport, but you can also join as a free agent and be teamed up with other teams who are shorthanded. This is a great opportunity to meet new people!
The first sport that I chose to play with a few girls in my dorm hall was 4 v. 4 outdoor volleyball. I met these ladies early in the semester and we found common ground because we all played at one time in high school. Playing outside on the grass was really fun! The weather was usually fair and the fact that the games were in the evening allowed me to release the stress of the day and enjoy myself.
I distinctly remember getting beaten pretty badly by the first opposing team whose serves were lightning fast and hard, but I was grateful for my team’s awesome sense of humor that made the game fun anyways. The rest of the season was pretty successful and we finished with a 6-9 record placing third in the Hall Cup Tournament.
The next team that I played on was soccer with a few guys that I had only known for about a week and a half from a different dorm hall. I was not expecting to play soccer but one evening, I was walking down the hall with my friend. As we passed their room, they stopped me and asked us to play. My friend declined but since they needed another girl to play in order to be eligible to play, I decided to join them. The game that night resulted in a win and my friendship with the guys grew stronger. However, our soccer season was not that successful – our first game was the only game that we won – but that is beside the point!
The last sport that I played was 6 v. 6 indoor volleyball with guys and girls from my dorm. I think that this was the sport that I had the most fun in because we were all a little more competitive. The amount of fun I had with this group of people was astounding.
The most memorable thing about playing this sport was one of the first games, when my team was losing by at least five points and it was game point, and somehow we managed to make an incredible comeback and win. It was only the first set but through the tension and then excitement of winning, we jumped around screaming and hollering like we had all won a million dollars. The other team gave us a weird look and the referee blew his whistle to get our attention and remind us that we had another game to play.
This pattern of incredible comeback wins became common and I believe that we won most of our games this way. In retrospect I am proud of my team’s effort and we finished our season in fourth place.
If you are not the athletic type but would like to remain active there are ways to do that, too! The Student Life Center has aerobic equipment, weights, a rock climbing wall, and an indoor track. Outdoor Pursuits gives you the chance to rent bikes and go on weekend backpacking, hiking and other trips alike. There is also a swimming pool for your leisure or to swim laps.
One of my other favorite alternatives is to run around the Rim on a two-mile dirt trail that is filled with both inclines and flats. The best part is that the entire trail is scenic (the picture I included is from one of my runs). The jog overlooking downtown Durango, through trees, over a stream, and sighting the occasional squirrel or deer is relaxing and I always feel so refreshed afterwards.
Trust me when I say that the community of Durango is the number one place to live a healthy lifestyle whether you choose to participate in sports or not.