It is a Thursday afternoon in fall and the Tappan Gymnasium is packed. Students line the gym’s walls, their eyes fixated straight ahead. At center court, a soccer game between two teams with all-male players, vastly ranging in size and skill, begins.

Welcome to Intramurals. The program, introduced over ten years ago, offers students the opportunity to play soccer, basketball and frisbee. In addition, students can work out in the fitness center.

“It’s set-up so that the activities meet Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.,” said Health and Fitness Curriculum Coordinator Teddi Jacobs, the program’s head supervisor. “It shifts a little bit depending on the facility and people’s time.”

According to Jacobs, one of the program’s greatest challenges is finding space during the winter.

“We try to make use of whatever space is available. That’s the real trick around what we can offer,” she said.

In the winter, varsity athletics utilize the facilities in the Tappan Gymnasium, leaving little opportunity for intramurals to take place. Jacobs said she manages to sneak in a group who wants to do rock climbing after basketball season and before volleyball season, but other than that, space is hard to come by.

In addition to having trouble finding space, Jacobs said getting girls to come is a challenge.

“A lot of the activities we offer tend to pool more boys than girls. I like to see girls get active as well,” said Jacobs.

Social worker Kendell Jones, who supervises basketball, also said attracting girls was a struggle.

“My challenge with basketball is that you have a lot more guys who come to intramurals, and when you have a day when girls show up, they don’t want to play with the guys,” said Jones. “How are you going to divide and split up everybody to make everyone happy?”

The program recently introduced Zumba, a dance with aerobic elements. Having taken off in the community, Jacobs hopes it will attract students, and specifically girls.

Jacobs is also in the process of incorporating Insanity, something that she thinks will pool a balance of both genders.

“It’s a heavy-duty workout to music. It’s fun,” said Jacobs. “It starts as a regular workout and gets more intense over time. We are thinking about offering it three days a week.”

Despite the lack in girl attendance and issues with finding space, the program has numerous opportunities and benefits.

Senior Eli Cherry said that intramurals are good for students in all types of circumstances.

“I think intramurals are a good opportunity for kids that either don’t have the time to play sports, or maybe don’t have the skills to play sports after-school and get a good amount of exercise and have fun. People should come in the spring,” said Cherry.

Jones said that one of the benefits of the program is meeting new people and making friends.

“It gives kids an outlet, something to do after-school instead of finding something on their own,” said Jones. “If we have a kid with a substance abuse issue and his friends drink or smoke or whatever after school, now he can do something else with his friends and cut that habit. He can go there and play a sport.”

Matthias Muendel can be contacted at [email protected].