Opinion
Keeping active is crucial to students’ well-being, can be fun
November 2, 2006
Olivia Newton-John once said, “Let’s get physical,” and that’s what students at UW-River Falls need to do. Physical activity is an important aspect of anyone’s daily life.
It keeps people involved, healthy and boosts self-esteem. So if the solution to being happy is that easy, why not just workout for half an hour a day?
All it takes to get started is a walk around campus for 30 minutes to just get a physical routine started. There are a number of ways to get active on the UWRF campus, even if you’re not going to be involved in a recognized varsity sport like football, volleyball or hockey.
First off, hit the gym. Both May and Hathorn Halls have gyms located inside that students, faculty and staff can use. Going to the gym is a way to improve yourself.
Using the gym is great for toning and forming muscles, and both on-campus options have a number of different machines for weights and aerobic activity that can be used to get the blood pumping. The two gyms on campus allow students to use all the machines for a reasonable price per semester or for the entire academic year. While it may seem to some like the more advanced lifters, along with the athletic teams, go to May Hall, anyone who wants to get physical can join the May Hall gym.
If you want to be a part of a team, but are not interested in any of the varsity sports on campus, there are a number of club sports for students.
There are both men’s and women’s lacrosse and rugby teams for students who want to get involved without having the extensive time commitment of a varsity athlete. With club sports you get to be involved with a group of people who do what you want to do, but don’t necessarily have practice every day or games every weekend.
Most of the club sports on campus aren’t necessarily big name sports that everyone has heard about, so it’s also a good way to learn something new.
Before I came to UWRF, I had heard of rugby and knew a couple people who played it, but I had never actually seen it.
After spending a few weeks at River Falls my freshman year, I attended a rugby game and discovered it was an awesome sport that people should recognize as something to be talked about. It’s a hard-hitting, bone-crunching good time. I even tried playing the game last fall for a day so I could write about what it was like to play. Those who play it have to be tough. The hitting got so rough that Tuesday afternoon that I could barely move for days afterwards. I was covered in bruises, but to this day, I love to watch it.
If you want to be on a team, but don’t have time to practice and only want to play a game once a week, then intramurals is the way to go.
Here at UWRF, we have a number of different intramural sports that are played throughout the year including: football, soccer, broomball and volleyball.
I haven’t played an organized sport since I was probably in eighth grade, but I always liked to just play games for fun. Intramurals are a way for me to do that.
With intramurals I can relieve stress, have fun and exercise all at the same time. I don’t see anything that could be better to do with my spare time.
Currently, I’m playing on both intramural broomball and volleyball teams.
I love sliding across the ice to stop the ball from being put in the net, and I also love to dive for the volleyball so the other team doesn’t score.
The teams I am on this season are very vocal and supportive, and it reminds me of playing on teams when I was younger. I love supporting my teammates and having people cheer for me too.
If you choose not to take part in lifting at the gym, playing on a club or intramural team, you can always watch and support those who do.
Or you should at least support the hockey teams, football team, basketball teams and all those who don the Falcon logo.
Just stay active.
Sarah Packingham is a former member of the Student Voice staff.