Even groups focusing on physical activity have moved online this year.
As with other campus activities, students who came to college excited to get involved in intramural sports have had to adjust their expectations this year. Club and intramural sports have operated virtually or in small groups to keep safe during the pandemic.
Intramural Sports Coordinator Brittany Burris has implemented various forms of remote programming, including fantasy sports leagues, trivia nights, e-sports and engagement through fitness apps such as Strava. Despite maintaining strict restrictions, Burris and other coordinators have not ruled out the potential for in-person activities in the future.
“We continuously monitor, discuss, and assess the risk of hosting in-person IM events and are hopeful that we can be together when it is safe,” Burris wrote in an email.
Despite her efforts to promote virtual engagement, Burris wrote that it has been difficult to maintain consistent participation in online IM sports offerings.
“Many people are eager to try new things at first, but then participation shifts, which could be attributed to many different reasons,” Burris wrote.
While some club sports teams have had to cancel most of their activities for the year, others have found ways to continue operating safely.
Senior Matt Jaynes, president of mens’ club volleyball, said that the team has found opportunities for in-person interaction while abiding by social distancing guidelines. While the team is unable to hold practices or competitions, small groups of team members often meet up at outdoor sand or grass courts to play in a masked and socially distanced setting.
While Jaynes said that he is disappointed at the team’s inability to train new players, learn new game strategies and play in the traditional indoor gym, he is grateful for the opportunity to “stay warm” and maintain his skills.
“We have been lucky that we can do a little bit. I'm sure there are indoor sports that you can only do when you're close together and not wearing masks so that’s obviously worse,” Jaynes said.
The club running team has taken a similar approach, offering limited in-person engagement. At the beginning of the semester, senior Jack Ellwood, the club’s president, created running groups of three to four teammates. If members are comfortable, they can participate in masked, socially distant runs with their groups.
Ellwood has also implemented “core exercise” sessions for the whole team to attend over Zoom to maintain some sense of structure.
Some club sports teams have found it more difficult to find safe ways to engage face-to-face.
Club swim president Stephanie Crater, a senior, said that the team has offered only virtual events this semester.
“As a club we do zoom calls and things, and even at the end of last year when things switched to being virtual we had our end of year Zoom banquet. But any in person stuff, you can't be affiliated with the club,” Crater said.
Despite these limitations, swim has successfully recruited first-years and fostered a sense of community among members, Crater said.
“I was very surprised at my ability to actually be able to form friendships with freshmen,” Crater reflected. “I think that we have at least 15 people that I expect to return next year.”
Several of the club sports team leaders said that they most miss the sense of motivation and purpose that comes with an organized practice and meet schedule. Jaynes pointed out that without an official schedule, it is difficult to take volleyball as seriously.
“Without competition we're kind of just fooling around now, and that’s how a lot of these clubs feel now,” he said.
Ellwood echoed these sentiments, mentioning that organized club running practice provided an important sense of accountability. “It's sometimes hard to run without that external motivating factor, other people running with you,” he said.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.