Every term students pay a fee of nearly $50, included on top of their tuition, to use the Academic & Student Rec Center. It’s easy to be intimidated by a room of sweaty, hulked-out people, but the time for excuses is over, my friend. The rec center has more to offer you than you know.
Before you do anything at the rec center, you must sign the release form in order to enter the facility. You can either do it there, or get a head start and do it online.
Whether you’re an established athlete or you’re looking to try something new, the rec center offers both intramural and club sports. Before you shake your head in confusion, here’s the 411 on the differences between the two.
Intramural sports are run by intramural staff and compete only on campus with other leagues. Although intramural is competitive, leagues offered change quarterly and run between six and eight weeks. Club sports are a yearly commitment and cost an extra fee depending on the sport. They are more competitive and travel to other schools to compete in competitions.
Sure you can play the typical sports offered (basketball, soccer, volleyball, etc.), but why not hop in a canoe and play some IRL Battleship!? Yep, it’s a thing. Grab a group of your friends or ride solo and make new ones.
The rec center is offering a new club league this fall called Unified Sports. The league offers a chance for students with intellectual disabilities and those without to participate on the same team. The ideology behind it is based on the simple knowledge that playing together brings people together for friendship, fun and a mutual understanding.
Due to the Stott Center renovation (that big building under construction in the Park Blocks to the left of the library), some sports like tennis or the batting cages are no longer offered on campus. But that doesn’t mean you can’t participate, you just may have to venture to other parts of Portland. Isn’t that almost better, though? That means you get to get out of your cozy dorm bubble and see what this city really has to offer.
Broke like the rest of us? No need to worry! Get inspired to pump some iron by being a lifeguard, referee, personal trainer or student coordinator at the rec center. Hone those leadership and camaraderie skills and apply for a number of their available positions here: pdx.edu/recreation/employment
Get all the information you need in person on the Tuesday before the quarter begins at Night at the Rec. Or if you can’t make it to that, check out Party in the Park on the first Thursday of school.
To find out more about club and intramural sports or to see a list of leagues offered, go to pdx.edu/recreation/rec-clubs for club sports or pdx.edu/recreation/intramurals#currentleague for intramural sports.