Dixie State University students are cranking up their competitive spirit in this semester’s intramural sports.
So far, intramurals have produced a big student turnout. Coed flag football, which opened the fall intramural sports season, brought forth some standout teams to compete against this year. One of the teams is composed of all Dixie Ambassadors.
“The Ambassador team has given their all to the team and the sport this year,” said Bryce Dahlberg, a sophomore business major from Ogden. “We’ve taken on people that aren’t super competitive and some people that are. It’s great, though, to have everyone play hard and have fun while doing it.”
To create a good intramural team, the group must be close and dedicated to the goals they set for themselves.
While a student’s motivation to win may be a good thing for the team, becoming champions isn’t everything to some players.
Darian Latimer, a sophomore physical science major from Price, plays for the Dream Team and said she enjoys getting to play on equal ground with everyone, but it’s not a bad thing when her team loses a game because the team members enjoy their time on the field regardless.
Students are also drawn to the coed aspect of playing intramural sports. There is more interaction between men and women, and it gives everybody a chance to test their flag football skills against each other.
“I think women’s sports and coed sports are both fun, but I like co-ed better for sure,” Latimer said. “It’s more intense, and I like being able to compete against the guys.”
Other students are motivated to play intramurals as a way to get involved on campus. They find it a great way to meet new people, stay active and have fun while attending college.
As the regular flag football season comes to a close, students still have the playoffs to look forward to. They began earlier this week right behind the coed volleyball games, which kicked off Wednesday, Sept. 18.
The first round of sand volleyball games went smoothly Wednesday as the teams were warming up to each others playing skills and strategies.
“This is my second time playing on an intramural volleyball team, and I’m already so proud to be playing with the people we’ve got,” said Steven Madsen, a sophomore business major from Redding, Calif.
A balanced amount of old and new players found their way into volleyball teams, creating a sense among student players that this year’s sand volleyball champions will have a battle to the top.
“By the end of our games, I could already tell that we’re going to have a competitive season between all the teams,” Madsen said. “I’ve heard some talk of teams getting together for practices, and, honestly, I don’t think that’s a bad idea. My team could definitely benefit with some more volleyball practice.”
The competition continues to heat up as registration for men’s football, singles and doubles tennis and coed outdoor soccer have also opened this month. Interested students still have time to get on teams looking for extra players. Games start tonight and continue through October.
Registration for men’s and women’s sand volleyball, and singles and double pingpong opens in October.
