With this year’s intramurals season well underway, many students have left these events sporting their new favorite shirt: the intramurals champion tee.

Most students are looking to get exercise, have fun and socialize during their intramural experience, but for some it runs much deeper.

Those that seek the coveted intramural champion shirt stop at no boundary to reach their goal of dominance. Simpson students challenge one another game after game in hopes of being number one.

In many cases, these dreams turn into realities. But some students aren’t that lucky.

“I’d say it’s a curse,” junior David Albrecht said. “I’ve played on many teams with different people, but it’s always the same result.”

Albrecht’s good friend, junior Kellen Sulentic, has been on many of his intramurals teams. Sulentic has made it to the championship on many occasions with Albrecht, but has fallen short every time.

Albrecht has also participated in a great deal of intramural events through his fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon.

“I have participated in so many intramural events, but I have never actually won,” he said. “I’ve gotten second place at least 10 times.”

Albrecht hasn’t been short on his variety of intramural sports. He’s entered a team in nearly every event possible in order to overcome his intramural struggle.

“Whether it’s flag football, sand or indoor volleyball, ladder golf, bocce ball, Cranium, trench ball or bowling, I still haven’t found a way to win,” Albrecht said.

With an extensive schedule of 81 intramural events this year, Albrecht will have many opportunities to finally seal the deal.

There have been some new additions to the intramural schedule that may lead to Albrecht’s success.

“This season we have added a coed division to ultimate Frisbee and rings,” Nicole Darling, assistant director of student activities/intramurals, said.

Although he hasn’t reached his first place goal yet, Albrecht still manages to possess two intramural champion shirts. He received them in his more nontraditional intramurals of ladder golf and Cranium when there were extra shirts.

There is a sort of bittersweet feeling following those that participate with Albrecht in intramurals.

According to his roommate, junior Collin Harrison, Albrecht’s teammates know that they will more than likely go the distance and make the championship game, but they also know they are doomed to fall short in the end.

“I don’t think that it is a disadvantage being on Dave’s team during the regular season and first few rounds of tournaments,” Harrison said. “But when you get to the championship game it’s a clear disadvantage because the other team knows the ‘big show’ isn’t David’s forte.”

With a new season of intramurals just getting under way, Albrecht hopes to make a dramatic turnaround this year. Being viewed as an underdog on the intramural field may actually lead to success for Albrecht as he tries to catch opposing teams off-guard.