Athletic options for spring

The end of the holidays means the start of the spring intramural season, which gives everyone lots of opportunities to dive back into campus life.

There are a number of leagues to choose from. The basketball league, flag football and softball are always extremely popular, according to Tom Soria, assistant director of intramurals. Wallyball is also an option, as is sand volleyball, which is more laid-back.

“Intramurals can get very structured,” Soria said, “but with sand volleyball, you come out and have a good time.”

There are men’s, women’s and co-recreational (co-ed) teams, so anyone that wants to play is able to.

In addition, there are various one-time events for sport enthusiasts who wants to test their skills and have fun.

There are several tournaments available this spring: basketball, softball, table tennis, ultimate Frisbee, and golf. The X-box 360 basketball tournament is a popular option with gamers. Tournaments generally include 12-20 teams, with each team guaranteed two games.

There is also a bench press competition and the campus-wide tradition, SportsFest.

Making its debut in the lineup this semester is the NFL combine event. Every college player wishing to get to the NFL participates in the combine. Now, everyone else gets the chance to do so as well. This event is the brainchild of Soria and junior Brandon Mitchell.

“I thought it could be a cool idea to really get students involved and allow them to get a feel of what the combine is like,” Mitchell said.

The event will include a three-cone drill, shuttle run, 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump. There will also be a skill-related drill for the running back position. For those who wish to compare their performances to those of NFL players, charts of those stats will be on display.

“I’m working with the Miami Dolphins to try and get a player here,” Soria said. “If this is popular, we hope to have it every year.”

Darci Miller may be contacted at asstsports@themiamihurricane.com.