7v7 Soccer Season is now Underway

Andres, Rec Sports Ambassador, April 05, 2013

I am not really one to brag and say that I am an awesome soccer player… But I am a pretty awesome soccer player.

That being said, I for one have been so ready for this semester’s 7 v 7 soccer intramurals. The first games took place on Monday night and ended in some awesome victories. By April 7 each of the leagues will be up and running in full swing. With more than 65 teams signed up to participate, any game you happen to come across at any of our three intramural fields is sure to be a good show.

Of course all of the teams in their respective leagues are vying for a coveted Intramural Champion T-Shirt and if they’re really lucky, a shot at the Intramural Sports Bearkat Cup. This is awarded to the team that receives the most points combined from all intramural sports played throughout the entire school year. Teams who win the Bearkat Cup are awarded various prizes like t-shirts or water bottles, and they will have their name on a plaque that will be hung in the HKC with a team picture; all good incentives to sign up for remaining intramurals and attempt to dominate the competition.

The deadline to sign up for the Dodgeball Tournament is April 18 and the one night Badminton Tournament sign up deadline is on April 10 so hurry into HKC 104 to register before time runs out. We at Rec Sports always say: Jump in and play hard. You never know how much fun you will have with Intramural sports until you try.

Fishing From a New Perspective

Seth Fry, Rec Sports Marketing Ambassador

     Fishing is an amazing hobby and a wonderful experience. When the fish smacks that lure, it sends an adrenaline rush letting you know that the battle is on. I have been an avid fisherman for many years and as I progressed in the sport I found that I was constantly looking for a new experience from it. I made transitions such as learning to fly fish, jug line, and wade fishing. The most exciting form of fishing that I have come across by far is kayak fishing.

     Fishing from a kayak is both more challenging and gives you opportunities for different types of water. It challenges you to use the paddles to position yourself for each cast rather than just being able to turn around, which can be difficult in the wind, and it also challenges you while reeling in some of the bigger fish. The challenges though, are part of the fun. You can also take kayaks into water that you can’t access with a normal boat. This comes in handy on local Lake Raven where normal boats aren’t allowed to go faster than idle speed.

     Catching a fish from a kayak is rewarding and completely different than any other style. You feel so close and connected to the water because you are basically sitting on it. And when a bigger fish gets on you can be pulled around by them. It is really cool that when you reel the fish in it ends up in the water right beside your booty rather than bending down to pick it up or hoisting it out of the water with your rod.

     The Outdoors Program at the Rec allows students to rent kayaks for only $5 a day which is amazing for anyone wanting to get their feet wet in the sport before buying a kayak. One of the best sources of info for someone who is new to the sport is texaskayakfisherman.com. This website is a forum that has info for people who are new to fishing or kayaking, as well as information for advanced anglers and kayakers.

     If you try out kayak fishing for yourself then I guarantee you will be hooked.

Getting Back to the Diamond

Seth Fry, Rec Sports Ambassador

     There are some things in life that you can try and walk away from, but no matter what you do they will always keep pulling you back. For me that thing is baseball. My dad had me out in the yard hitting whiffle balls at the age of three and from then on, I played year-round for 15 years. Every spring I would be playing in little league then pony ball followed by high school, while every fall I was traveling with a tournament team. By the time I was ready to graduate high school I felt burnt out and came to terms with my senior year being my last season.

     Fast forward four years and about a dozen hobbies later and I found myself with an itch to get back out on the diamond. I heard about our club baseball team two weeks ago and decided to finally scratch. I went out to one of their practices and it felt great to be hitting and throwing again. Now I’m on the team and loving baseball again. Being away from baseball for so long has shown me that sometimes you just need a break from something you enjoy to truly appreciate why you had fun with it in the first place.

Club Sports at SHSU encompasses over 24 student led teams consisting of more than 500 student athletes who play purely for the love of it. Teams range from ultimate Frisbee to Quiddich. For more information about club sports, visit our webpage.

Wait…Spring Break is only THREE weeks away?

Bryna, Rec Sports Ambassador

     Need a fun way to get back in shape before Spring Break? There are two classes that I love to participate in. Cardio Kick is a great class to take to get back into the swing of things, if you’ve already fallen off the New Year’s Resolution wagon. It is a great starter class if you haven’t worked out in a while. I loved this class because it is fun and the moves are simple yet you can feel them working many different muscle groups. The next day I was even a bit sore from working out the little muscles that I haven’t worked out since high school. This was a great feeling knowing that I was impacting the little hidden muscles that are sometimes hard to get.

    Another great class I have taken this semester is Step. Now this class is intense and gets your heart rate going fast. This class was more of a challenge compared to the other class but it works! You are doing many different moves to get all the different muscles in your stomach, legs, and glutes. It was a bit of a challenge when I first went to this class, but that challenge gives me a lot of motivation to go back. I got through it the first time so I know that every other time I go I will just get better. These two classes are great and everyone should come out and try them at least once!

Check out our live fitness schedule here!

Andres Swim Workout

Rec Sports Ambassador, February 08, 2013

     With the HKC pool now open, it’s time to get ready for Spring Break by toning up those glutes and working on your tan. My favorite pool workout consists of five 50- meter freestyle sprints, then a 20 second rest to collect myself and rehydrate. After my mini-break, I’m right back at it with five 100-meter sprints in any stroke. In between these sets, I rest anywhere from 40 to 60 seconds to make sure I’m ready to go full speed for the next round.

     Cardio swimming offers a lot of flexibility with workout routines and there is something available for every body type and workout level. Even if you are a new swimmer, just floating in the water adds enough resistance to make a difference and water weights are available to tone your arms and legs.

     In the world of cardio workouts, anything from running to jumping rope can be enough to get your heart rate moving but the pool has always been a favorite spot of mine. In the summer you can spot girls working on their tans and even when it’s freezing outside and everyone is bundled up I can swim a few laps in the HKC’s heated pool and not feel a thing. Studies have shown that swimming for one mile can equal up to about three miles of steady running. That being said, while all of you are fighting for a spot on a treadmill, you can find me having some down time at the pool.

Just Keep Swimming

Seth, Rec Sports Ambassador, Feb. 8th

     The weight room at the RSC has been absolutely packed the past few weeks and has left people standing around at times looking for open machines or weights. When a certain part of the Rec opened up this past Monday I was excited. I went and found out that it was like a secret paradise tucked away that no one knew about. It almost pains me to reveal my little secret place, but as a good Rec Sports ambassador I must let everyone know that the pool is now open for business and ready to kick your butt!

     Swimming is amazing because you can get your cardio, and resistance training all in one while also engaging in a little fun (rhyme intended). Research shows that even just submerging yourself in water is the equivalent to light exercise. This is due to the pressure the water exerts on your body that makes your heart have to work harder just to pump. They even say that swimming a mile is the equivalent to running three! It also doesn’t hurt that you can get a nice tan and don’t end up looking like a fake-tan oompa loompa.

     I personally enjoy it because it opens the door to new hobbies such as short distance triathlons. If you have been in a 5k before, but have never done a triathlon, I encourage you to find out where and when the closest short distance triathlon will be and get to the pool. Put into use all that physical training you’ve endured, and accomplish something new.

     And remember…just keep swimming.

What’s a Club Sport?

Russell, Rec Sports Ambassador

     If you have not heard of Sam Houston State University’s Club Sports program then you have missed out. Wednesday night was a great opportunity to meet and greet with a few of our teams including Men’s Rugby, Women’s Lacrosse, and the Quidditch team. If it has been a dream of yours to play against other colleges and represent your great school of SHSU then maybe joining a Club Sport is for you. There are many ways to get in to contact with the team captains for the clubs you are most interested in via the website http://www.shsu.edu/dept/recreational-sports/clubsports/, or in HKC 104.

     Teams are always in need of support at the games and matches so come out to support and cheer on the many different Club Sports this semester. Either on the court or out on the field our Bearkats will get the job done with your support. Most of these teams will be playing on Friday, Saturday, and Sundays all throughout the semester. The updated spring schedule is on the website allowing easy access to view when each team will be playing both home or away. Come help bring victory to your Club Sports teams and GO BEARKATS!!!!!!!

New School, New Hobby, New Heights

Seth, Rec Sports Ambassador

     Last semester was my first semester here at SHSU so I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. In a search to fill the void I wanted to find a hobby that would both be fun and challenge me physically. I found what I was looking for in the bottom floor of the Rec Center at the Climbing Center. I walked down to what feels like a secluded and tucked away corner, completely separate from the rest of the Rec.

     The first thing to do when you walk down is to walk up to one of the workers and say “I’ve never done this before. Could you show me the ropes?” (Pun intended). All of the workers down at the wall are so nice. They will walk you through how to get geared up and what not and motivate you on your first trip up the wall. If you stay down at the wall and climb for a couple of hours your arms will be on fire. I can honestly say climbing is one of the hardest arm workouts I’ve ever done so good luck holding a pencil if you plan on studying that night.

     One of the greatest things about the wall is that you get to have fun, work out, and feel a sense of accomplishment all-in-one. Normally after a workout you will feel the gratification that you did something physical, and you will eventually get to see the fruits of those labors in your body. However, with climbing, you get to immediately see the results of the work you put in while you’re 34 feet up in the air looking out over the rest of the RSC.

     All of this to say that I think everyone should go give it a try. I think it’s totally worth the $5 to try it out or you can go to Vertical Happy Hour for free which is every other Thursday from 6-8pm. Also for free to first time climbers, Ladies’ Night (a woman only climb time) is every other Wednesday from 6-8pm.

Demo Days in Review!

Courtney, Rec Sports Ambassador

     This past week the Fitness program sponsored Try it Free Week as a part of Rec Sports Demo Days. It was everyone’s chance to try out all the fitness classes for free and buy a semester fitness pass for 25% off. All in all it was a great week!

     A number of classes were packed from wall to wall with people ready to get their workout on and to take them to an all new level. Floors continuously had to be mopped from all of the hard work and sweat that was being brought to the classes. Although this may sound frightening, people were very enthusiastic; they loved the instructors and the way they felt afterward.

     The certified personal trainers helped students and staff learn their fitness levels and what they could do to better themselves. Rather than breaking New Year’s resolutions, more goals were set for the ones who participated in the free fitness assessments.

     If you missed out on trying the free fitness classes or weren’t able to buy a fitness pass on sale, don’t worry! Fitness passes are only $45 for the semester so stop by office 162 in the RSC. If you liked the classes, then make it your goal to be there each week. Jump in. Play hard. Get Fit!

A fun alternative to the treadmill…

Nitres, Rec Sports Ambassador

     Many people find it difficult fitting the gym into their daily schedule. Most of those peoples’ reasoning for it being such a difficult task is that it is too hard or tiring. I can agree with those individuals; working out can be a very hard duty to complete on a daily basis. For some people, it is not fun and requires a great amount of dedication and will power, but like anything, when people do things they are not passionate about it usually becomes a challenge to stay dedicated.

     Let’s face it, most people don’t entirely enjoy working out, they just like the results they get. Still, for a lot of us the agony outweighs the desire, and after a few trips to the gym, we give up hope. If only there were ways for people to stay fit and healthy without torturing themselves! Maybe running on the treadmill just doesn’t excite you. Well what does?

     When it comes to working out; I like to engage in the informal sports. I personally do not like the treadmill but I really enjoy playing volleyball. So, when it is time for me to do my daily workout and I begin to dread that trip to the gym, I switch things up a bit and check out a volleyball instead of heading straight to the fitness area. If I’m there with a friend we practice drills with one another and if I am solo I do simple drills with the ball. I find this much more enjoyable than the routine machines every day. At SHSU rec there are many informal sports: basketball, racquetball, wallyball, tennis, just to name a few. Don’t let anything stop you from getting fit and staying healthy – find an activity you enjoy at the rec and make that your workout. Trust me you won’t regret it!