Director planning growth of interest in intramural play

    Intramural sports have been a source of competition for students for many years, and Paul Stewart, South Campus intramural sports director, has seen numerous changes in his line of work.

    “The participation of the students has declined over the past few years,” Stewart said.

    But Stewart, who has been on South Campus for more than 30 years, wants the intramural program to continue gaining momentum.

    “Even though the participation has dwindled, I think the program continues to serve a great many of South Campus students,” he said.

    With the approach of the games this semester, Stewart hopes to restore students’ interest.

    During the mid ’70s, intramural sports made front-page news.

    In a 1975 issue of the South Campus Reflector, which was the student newspaper on South Campus before The Collegian was started in the fall of 1988, the application to join the games appeared on the bottom of the front page.

    “Students today just are not interested in team sports,” he said.

    Obviously, Stewart must be reflecting on the successes of such athletes as the Williams sisters in tennis and the overwhelming triumphs of Tiger Woods in golf.

    “In the past a number of participants went to compete nationally. Every year there is a national competition in Louisiana around the same time as college football's Sugar Bowl,” he said.

    When Stewart came to teach, South Campus had a scheduled time period for activities.

    “When I came here in 1969, we had an activity period when all the clubs would meet and we played games every Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” he said.

    Stewart believes that the increased number of students forced school administrators to begin using the activity period time for classes.

    Despite the changes, intramural sports can still be found on all campuses.

    On South Campus, tip off for the first three-on-three basketball game is Monday, Feb. 12. All team sports will be played on Mondays and Wednesdays at 3 p.m. in the HPE Building.

    T-shirts will be awarded to winners.

    “All students are invited to come out and enjoy not only the competition but also the camaraderie,” he said.