Campus intramurals provide fitness, fun during semester
by Rawly Bransom, Sports Editor

    Intramural sports are a major part of a healthy student life style.
   "If you're new to the campus, intramural sports are a good way to meet people, have fun and burn calories," Jason Wooten, SE physical education instructor, said.
   However, TCC has a unique situation because of its four campuses; this means students have four different approaches toward intramurals depending on which campus they attend.
   NE Campus is committed to the wellness of its faculty, staff and students.
   To help move toward this goal, staff members created the NEW Games as part of NEW U, the NE Wellness Program.
   These games include water games, table tennis, bowling, sand volleyball, horseshoes, tennis and the annual Turkey Trot.
   The Turkey Trot has traditionally been a 1.25-mile run, but with the completion of the new joggers trail, the event will probably be cut down to one mile.
   "However many people show up, we will pick teams and set up whatever we need then," Joy Thetford, NEW U coordinator, said.
   "Everyone gets a prize, such as koozies, water bottles, Frisbees and hats," she said.
   Contact Thetford at 817-515-4689 for more details about NEW Games.
   SE Campus takes a slightly more traditional approach to intramural sports.
   The campus offers flag football for team or individual entries. Individual participants enter a free agent pool and are drafted by any team needing a player, or put into a team with other free agents.
   This semester, SE Campus will also have tennis, cycling, weightlifting competitions and a 100-yard wedge contest where golfers compete to see who can hit closest to the pin.
   For more information about SE Campus intramurals, students can contact Wooten at 817-515-3845.
   South Campus intramural sports include volleyball, soccer, racquetball, table tennis and 3-on-3 basketball.
   To promote faculty, staff and student health, however, South Campus provides self-motivated activity in the Century Club.
   "The Century Club is a program that encourages students to take part in an incentive-based aerobic program. Prizes are awarded for attaining mileage goals," Scott Clark, South CRIS director, said.
   Students check in and monitor how far they walk, run, cycle or travel on a treadmill.
   Prizes are awarded for each 10-mile increment.
   For more information on any South Campus intramural event, contact Clark or any member of the physical education department at 817-515-4689.
   As of press time NW Campus' information was unavailable.
   Participants in any intramural contest must be a student, faculty or campus staff on the campus where they want to compete.
   Students must remain enrolled for the entire length of the event.