10

SPORTS

The Norwich Guidon
Mar. 25, 2004

Intramural basketball proves popular with students, boasting 16 teams

By Kate Drummey
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

It's where you can find the Friggin Whatnots battling The Foot Fairies; where the Yahoos defend themselves against Da Hotness; and where Dirty Dawgs try to stop Stress Relief. It's the only place on campus where Marines and Foxtrot freshmen can get away with beating one another, a place where there are weekly Hurricanes and maybe even a Kegstand.

It's not a bad day at the infirmary or an overthrow of authority in Jackman Hall; rather, it's just a standard week of the intramural basketball season.

There are 16 teams registered to play, this season, and there are, "About 10 people on each team," according to Gary Del Moro, 21, a junior criminal justice major from Cresskill County, N.J. and a member of The Dream Team.

Ted Mikuluski, another member of The Dream Team and a sophomore architecture major from Rocky Hill, Conn., said that, "While there are 9 or 10 people on the team, only 6 to 7 people show up most of the time."

The games are played on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday each week in Plumley Armory. There are two games played at 4:15 p.m. and another two games played at 5:15 p.m., according to the schedule arranged by the office of Student Activities.

"We play two 20-minute halves, and each team gets one timeout per half," Del Moro said. "Substitutions are made just like in a regular game; they go in on the official's whistle."

Student officials who have completed a training session with Student Activities Director Chan Stowell monitor each of the games. During the session, the student officials are instructed on how to conduct the game in an accurate and fair manner, Del Moro said.

Many of the students prefer the more relaxed atmosphere of the intramural games, compared to the pressures of being on the Norwich varsity basketball team.

"There is always a lot of good competition," Mikuluski said. "It's not that strict, so we can still have a good time and not have people getting upset over bad calls."

"I play intramural basketball, because I'm not good enough to play on varsity, but I enjoy basketball and still wanted to play," said Terence O'Neil, 21, a junior mechanical engineering major from Warren, N.H., and a member of the Dirty Dawgs.

"I'm not a big fan of organized sports," Del Moro said. "It's just too much of a commitment, and I'm just doing it for the exercise and to have fun."

Rather than having two hours of practice a day as does the varsity team, The Dream Team, "Doesn't really practice that much and is pretty out of shape," according to Mikuluski. "We're just in it to have fun; it's more fun to just go out there and hang out with your friends, play some ball, and not have to be so intense."

The Norwich Guidon is a twice-monthly student newspaper distributed at Norwich University. It provides laboratory experience for students in the Communications program. Claims asserted by letter writers, editorials and other articles do not represent the positions of Norwich University. The Norwich Guidon welcomes signed letters to the editor. They should be no longer than 300 words. Unsigned letters will not be printed, but names may be withheld upon worthy request. All letters are subject to editing for length and good taste. Mailing address: The Norwich Guidon, Communications Center, Norwich University, Northfield, VT 056632. www.norwich.edu/guidon. If you have any questions or comments about the paper, please contact Professor Ken Bush at kbush@norwich.edu.