John van Vliet
Freelance Writer
While you are working your brain during classes and homework, you must take some time to work your muscles and lungs at the Reed Gym Student Recreational Center!
Reed Gym offers plenty of physical activities for you to undertake as a student at Idaho State. Whatever sport or exercise you can think of, the 100,000 square-foot Student Rec Center has it for you.
“We offer a wide array of activities for students to stay fit,” said Bill MacLachlan, the associate director of campus recreation. “We have weights, cardio rooms, tennis courts, basketball courts, indoor track, racquetball courts and we have one of the finest rock climbing walls in the country.”
A range of intramural and club sports are also available for your participation. And remember, access to most anything in Reed Gym is free as long as you have your Bengal Card with you.
Keeping your body healthy and active is just as important as you keep your brain active. MacLachlan said people who remain active in sport or fitness will likely have a better overall satisfaction with their college experience. Exercise helps you retain the things you learn in class.
“All books and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”
The Student Rec Center was given a huge upgrade in 2010. The 32,000 square-foot and $7 million expansion gives students two-floors of brand new free and machine weights and a variety of cardio machines for their use. MacLachlan is planning on bringing in kettle bells and plyometric boxes to the fitness room soon.
Massage rooms and equipment checkout for sports like tennis, racquetball, basketball and more is included in this area. Students can schedule 30 or 60-minute massages for $20 and $35, respectively.
Elsewhere in Reed Gym is a six lane, 25-yard-long swimming pool. Lap swimming is open for everyone at scheduled times. Four indoor and two outdoor tennis courts, two basketball courts, an indoor track, an aerobic classroom and spinning rooms are available to students. Spinning classes are free of charge and are under first come, first serve basis.
The climbing wall is 35-feet high with four rappel stations and 17 climbing routes. The wall includes 25 feet of horizontal overhang climbing as well.
Locker rooms with showers and steam rooms are available to men and women. Students can rent lockers for the semester or year. Locks are provided for your lockers as no personal locks are allowed. The cost is $50 for a full locker for one year ($25 per semester) or $20 for a half locker per semester.
Reservations can be made to any of the facilities by calling MacLachlan at 282-3825. You can reach him by email at ude.usinull@lliblcam.
Remember, your Bengal Card allows you free access to most anything in Reed Gym.
Intramurals
Students looking for competitive activities can turn to intramurals. Idaho State offers plenty of intramural sports including flag football, basketball, soccer, volleyball, dodgeball, ultimate Frisbee, indoor soccer, tennis, racquetball, table tennis and softball.
If you looking for something competitive and challenging or are just looking for something fun to do, intramural has something for everyone. It is a great way to build relationships with other students through friendly competition.
Team intramurals such as flag football or basketball have a $50 fee per team. Tennis, racquetball, table tennis and other individual intramural sports are free. There are typically three leagues in each intramural sport, each based on the level of competiveness from its participants.
Tournaments and championships are held for each intramural sport with the grand prize including sweet intramural championship T-shirts and campus bragging rights.
Sign up information is easy and can be found via posters throughout Reed Gym or through the campus recreation website at www.isu.edu/campusrec/.
Teams are managed through the IM Leagues portal found through BengalWeb. Individual profiles can be made to help teams organize their members. Schedules for all games in intramurals can be found in IM Leagues.
Club Sports
Idaho State has a variety of club sports. While similar to intramural sports, club sports at Idaho State involve more intercollegiate competition and focus more on the dedication to the sport or recreational activity.
Club sports at ISU include badminton, baseball, fencing, judo, kendo, soccer, rock climbing, racquetball, rodeo, rugby (men’s and women’s), triathlon, volleyball and wrestling.
Many of the club sports compete in intercollegiate conferences. Playing for the rugby, baseball, rodeo or other club teams gives you the opportunity to represent Idaho State much like the varsity athletes do.
“I can’t speak for the rest of my teammates but I am proud to be a Bengal,” said Trent Seamons, a senior on the Idaho State baseball club team. Seamons played NCAA baseball in Kentucky before coming to Idaho State.
Club sports also give athletes the chance to travel around the region for competitions. Clubs such as snow and rock climbing also offer you travelling opportunities to see many of Idaho’s natural splendour.
Club sports require more commitment than intramurals because of the travel required for competition. Nevertheless, if you are able to put in the time, all students are welcome to join any of the club sports.
“Club sports are open to all full-time paying students,” said Randal Miller, director of ISU’s Sport Clubs. “There is a no cut policy. If you are able to fully commit to a club sport you will be able to participate.”
Whether you have any experience in the sport or not, club sports at Idaho State are designed to help you learn and simply be a part of a team.
“We will teach a student everything they need to know,” said Ram Eddings, the head coach for the men’s rugby squad who also works for ISU’s advising center. “And we try really, really hard to make sure everyone gets some playing time. If you are willing to learn, we are willing to teach.”
“Even though it is a club sport, it’s fun to be nationally ranked, track our stats and have fun representing ISU,” added Seamons about club baseball. “We take anyone who want to come to get better and have fun as a team.”
Fees for the clubs vary from sport to sport depending on the equipment needed and any travel arrangements. In the case for the rugby and baseball squads, travelling to away games can consume your entire weekend.
In the last few years, ISU rugby, baseball and rodeo have performed quite well. The ISU baseball team went 11-1, representing the Northern Pacific South-Conference in the 2013 National Club Baseball Association postseason. The squad is returning many of its players and they have their sights set on getting to the national championship game.
Idaho State Men’s Rugby placed third in the Utah Rugby Union Collegiate Conference with a record of 17-5-1.
Club sports exist because of the interest of the student body. If there is a club sport that you arewanting to start, contact Randal Miller through his office phone at 282-6152 or his email at ude.usinull@2narllim.
