Simpson College intramurals are taking over the swimming pool in Cowles Fieldhouse. With new events this semester, the pool will be full of competitive Simpson students ready to take home first place and a T-shirt prize.

The new activities, starting on Feb. 13 and ending on Feb. 18, consist of a relay race, a belly-flop competition and a ring-toss competition.

Nicole Darling, assistant director of student activities/intramurals, gives some of the credit of these new events to different Simpson students who thought it would be something new and fun to try.

“We had a couple swimmers on the staff who thought it would be a good idea,” Darling said. “I also talked to other students who participate in intramurals and they wanted swim events. It seems like we had a lot people who were on a swimming team in high school and would like these events.”

The relay race will consist of a team with four members. The ring-toss and belly-flop competitions will be individual events.

The belly-flop contest idea came from members of the intramural staff, who will now be judging the competition.

The judging has different categories that will be evaluated. The floppers will be judged on overall presentation, style of jump, form of jump, splash, and redness of the stomach. All of these categories will be taken into consideration when coming up with a score and determining a winner.

Senior Dirk Updike is excited for the new events.

“My favorite of the new events is the belly-flop competition,” Updike said. “I think it sounds like a lot of fun.”

The other intramural water events will continue the same as during the fall semester. Water aerobics will continue to be held Monday through Thursday nights. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the sessions are from 8-9 p.m. and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-10 p.m.

Water aerobics was popular among students this past fall. Freshman Katie Thielen has particularly enjoyed this event.

“It’s a fun activity that makes me feel like I’m not even working out because it’s so much fun,” said Thielen. “I really liked to swim when I was in high school, so I’m glad intramurals offers something where I can continue to be in the water.”

A new water event coming this spring will be water volleyball. This event will be similar to mud volleyball, in that it will have small teams, with four people playing per team at a time. The pool will be divided up, making smaller courts.

Updike thinks it is wonderful that intramurals is coming up with even more events for students to participate in.

“I think it is good that intramurals is doing more events,” Updike said. “It will be a good opportunity for other students to get involved.”