GFU Plans For Full Intramurals Season In The Fall

By: Aurora Biggers

Illustrated by: Carla Cieza

NEWBERG, Ore.—As vaccinations are on the rise and COVID-19 cases are on the decline in Yamhill County, George Fox University’s (GFU) campus recreation team is prepared to re-launch intramural sports with a full season in the fall. (During pre-COVID-19 times, GFU offered over 20 different intramural sports throughout the semester, said AJ Heil, director of GFU campus recreation.)

Last semester, Heil said the team mostly offered solo sport options to students, and as the risk level lowered and the state opened up sport guidelines, they expanded to small team sports like spike ball, pickleball, or badminton. Compared to other universities, GFU has been ahead of the game, Heil said. “We’re the only ones currently running six v. six volleyball because we were ready to go and ready to pivot quickly,” he said. That’s one benefit of being a smaller university—“Sometimes with bigger schools, [intramural sports] take more approvals and time to get up and running,” says Heil.

In addition to weekly volleyball games, which Heils said has an average attendance of 156 students (“that’s encouraging to us”), there are also three one-day intramural tournaments this month—including kickball, ping pong, and sand volleyball. While the first two already took place, it’s not too late to sign up for the sand volleyball tournament.

While Heil says the recreation team didn’t feel a lot of pressure from students to re-launch intramurals, the small steps they’ve already taken have been successful in terms of COVID-19 safety and attendance. “We haven’t had any issues with COVID or enforcement,” said Heil, and students have been eager to sign up—making their preparations for fall all the more exciting. “When we go into the fall, we’re looking at a full sports line-up again. We’re looking at launching into a normal season, if COVID allows, and doing all of our normal sports throughout the entire academic year next year,” he said.

Spectators are allowed now, too, since capacity guidelines have opened up for the county. Whether you are competing or just cheering the teams on, Heil said the recreation team is encouraging students to be at the volleyball championship game on April 22. There will be staff to monitor COVID-19 regulations, and the game may be the campus’s first real step back to normal for intramural sports.