Photos by Ralph Freso / Photo slideshow
Tianna Tucker she was the only woman among men in the game of kickball. He approached the ball, kicked it hard, and went down the first line. Safe. Later he scored with lightning speed around the institutions.
The Grand Canyon University freshman beamed after crossing his plate. He likes sports a lot. “It teaches you determination and drive,” he said.
Tucker was one of many Welcome Week students running on Colter Field for Intramural Sports Field Night. They played kickball, soccer, cornhole and Spikeball and were introduced to the offerings of what school administrators say is one of the largest intramural programs in the country.
Last academic year, 13,320 students formed 1,760 intramural teams in 19 sports for year-round competitions on campus.
Among the most popular was football (1,316 participants), just shy of indoor volleyball (1,335), but which is very interesting to Tucker.
She said she was one of the first women to play the sport when they started a women’s team at Mountain Pointe High School in Ahwatukee.
“I like how it’s a game of comradery but it’s also inclusive. It’s for anyone, there are boys and girls playing,” he said, before running off to join a football match nearby.
Fall soccer teams for men, women and co-ed are formed, as are sand and indoor volleyball, 3-on-3 basketball, dodgeball, futsal, pickleball, softball and tennis. New this year is something called a battleship, when teams try to knock the opponent’s boats out of the pool, and wiffle ball.
A group of four young friends from Lincoln, Nebraska, came to the stadium eager to play as many games as possible. They really want to start a team for sand soccer and football.
“I played golf and football in high school, so I like competition. I like to have something on the line,” he said. Maguire Stantonwho has friends Alex Beeman, Sam Svoboda and Landon Bondegard they were filling out online forms to contact.
Intramurals create a sense of community and connect students, said the Intramural Athletic Director Mike Fox. When students feel connected, they lead to better attention.
“They are bought,” he said. “It’s also a source of joy. Some students like to read in their free time, others like to have a competition.”
Even these fetch games were competitive. One group of young men waiting for their turn to take over the winning team were evaluating their future opponents’ offense (“They throw it too deep”) and their defense (“You do hole, and I will run after you.”).
Noah Homera junior transfer, said that intramurals give him the opportunity to continue playing the sports he loves in high school.
He had just exploded onto the field and caught an easy route to the flat.
Meanwhile, Tianna Tucker was on the women’s field, speeding through the quarter like her hair was on fire.
He found a fistful of flag, removed a quarter.
Grand Canyon University senior author Mike Kilen can be reached at [email protected]
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