With sand volleyball underway to kick off Union University’s intramural season, the Office for Campus Recreation has implemented various safety regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including a new fall sports schedule and check-in process.
The fall intramural season will consist of four low-contact sports: sand volleyball, Spikeball, softball and, a new addition this year, disc golf. High-contact sports, such as flag football and ultimate frisbee, have been moved to the spring semester.
The decision to include these four sports in the upcoming season came after much deliberation on which sports could safely be played during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We needed to keep intramural sports as safe as they could be while also giving people the sports that they’re used to,” said Danny Yurov, campus recreation graduate assistant. “In a perfect world, hopefully things move toward getting better, so [sports] don’t necessarily have to be cut, they’ll just have to be moved around.”
Intramural players and employees will also participate in a new check-in process in order to adhere to health and safety protocols. Before any games begin, participants will have their temperature taken by an employee and asked if they have experienced COVID-19 symptoms. Additionally, sports will be self-officiated if possible and equipment will be sanitized during breaks in individual games. Spectators are required to wear masks at all times.
“We’re trying to make sure that those who participate are able to participate in a way that they’re comfortable with and that will decrease the risk of spreading [COVID-19],” said Jonny Wilson, director for campus recreation. “The regulations that we have put in place both for spectators and the participants are just to make sure that they’re going to be as safe as possible.”
Despite the new protocols and altered schedules, students remain optimistic about the future of intramurals.
“Of course, the new regulations aren’t ideal,” said Leah McGinnis, junior social work major. “But if it lets us play [intramurals], I’m all for it.”
In regard to sand volleyball, campus recreation has seen a positive response in participation, with a total of 22 men’s and women’s teams playing in the tournament. The sand volleyball women’s championship will conclude this week, with Spikeball next in the lineup for the fall season.
