Troy students dive into fall intramural season

Last Saturday, Aug. 24, the Troy University intramural office kicked off the 2013-2014 season with a splash at the Fall Swim Meet in the McDowell Lee Natatorium.The event is just one of many that will be offered to Troy University students this fall, including ping-pong, flag football, soccer and more.All students are invited to participate in intramurals here on campus. The only requirements being that they take the sportsmanship seminar and turn in a team roster before the sports deadline.“Intramurals are important because they give students something to do outside of class,” said Aaron Martin, Coordinator of Intramural Sports on the Troy Campus.Many students who participated in Saturday’s kickoff event agree with Martin, including sophomore nursing major Sammi Lapinski who swam for Alpha Gamma Delta in the event.“I swam last year,” Lapinski said, “and I swam again this year because it gives me a chance to not only support my sorority but to also meet people from other organizations as well.”While different organizations took different approaches to prepare for the meet, all came to win.“For the most part, we practiced on our own, coming to the pool whenever we had free time,” Katie Curry, freshman fine arts major who swam for Chi Omega, said. “The most important thing was making sure that you can do the stroke that you are signed up for.”Chi Omega took the victory in the women’s competition, with Pi Kappa Phi taking the win for the men’s competitors, both teams only taking the win by a small margin.When asked what advice she would give to students considering participating in intramural sports in the future, sophomore nursing major Rochele Beard, who swam with Chi Omega, had only positive things to say about the program.“Do it,” Beard said “It is a great way to have fun with the sports you love, without the pressure of playing on a varsity team.”With both the swim meet and ping-pong competitions coming to a close, the next sport the intramural department has to focus on will be flag football, beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 3.