May Term intramurals has many offerings

As students begin the second half of the semester, intramurals is preparing for one of its busiest times of the year–May Term.

Intramurals offers a variety of regular league and one-day tournament activities for students in their final three weeks on campus.

Regular league activities are played every day during May Term and finish with a tournament. Events in this category include coed sand volleyball, coed softball and jamball. They start in the afternoon, around 3:30 p.m., and are played until 8 p.m. or dark.

Intramurals offers one-day events throughout May Term that also start around 3:30 p.m. and run through the afternoon. May 4 is the coed mud volleyball tournament and May 6 is West Grand Put Put, where students can go and hit driving range balls or play put-put golf.

May 7 is a croquet tournament, May 8 is a washers tournament, May 9 is a four-person best shot golf tournament, May 12 is water balloon water volleyball, May 13 is bags, May 14 is Bocce ball and May 15 is a fishing tournament at Lake Ahquabi.

Nicole Darling, assistant director of student activities and intramurals, is excited for all of the events May Term has to offer this year.

“It’s one of my favorite times for intramurals because we’re always outside and students are generally happy and excited,” Darling said. “It’s the end of the year and it’s more of a fun atmosphere.”

Intramurals will also offer Monday night bowling at Air Lanes in Des Moines throughout May Term, and will probably do a four square tournament because of the popularity and high attendance in previous semesters.

According to Darling, the schedule for May Term is based on participation numbers.

“The IM Council discusses events and deems what needs to be added or taken away,” Darling said. “We really utilize the numbers at events and try to get more money for our program based off those numbers. We always try to add something new if we can, but these things are working for us right now.”

May Term intramurals offer students a chance to get outside and enjoy the weather, socialize, meet new people, exercise and have fun. With so many events offered, intramurals hopes they can hit the interests of many different people.

Sophomore Chris Kunze, an IM council member, thinks students should participate in May Term events because it gives them something to do.

“Students only have class for maybe two-and-a-half hours, so why not do something healthy and get outside and do something with other people?” Kunze said. “It’s really social, outdoorsy and good exercise. I know when I get done playing volleyball I’m breaking up a good sweat.”

Last year, intramurals had water balloon volleyball as a new sport, but this year the only new event in May Term is bowling on Monday nights. Croquet and Bocce ball have had lower attendance in previous years, but intramurals is keeping them for one more year.

Junior Jessica Nims, also an IM council member, says getting outside and the addition of new events are advantages to May Term events.

“The best part of May Term intramurals is the opportunity for the majority of them to be held outside,” Nims said. “Students have the opportunity to participate in events not offered any other time during the year, such as mud volleyball.”

Junior Andy Conyers, also an IM council member, is looking forward to mud volleyball.

“Students can get down and dirty with the mud,” Conyers said. “It’s fun to watch because there are usually more mud fights than actual volleyball, and it’s cool that it happens all in one day.”

Sign-up for May Term events starts March 27. Regular league events can be signed-up for online, while one-day events will have a sign-up sheet outside Darling’s office. Students will have about a month so they can be sure to get involved in all the events. May Term begins April 28.