Are you a student at Holmes Community College looking for a place to improve your physical health without going to the gym, to meet new people without being in the classroom or to have an opportunity to play sports without having to try out? In that case, the intramural sports program might be just the place for you! Intramural sports are held on campus every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; a variety of sports are played to give every student a chance to participate in a sport they are interested in.
As college students, we tend to spend most of our time sitting in a classroom, sitting in a library or sitting in our dorm studying. The only time most of us do any exercise at all is by walking to our classes–or maybe running to them if we are on the verge of being late. I had the pleasure to interview Sydney Kimble, coordinator of the fitness center and intramural sports, and she gave me her take on how intramural sports can sustain your physical health.
Kimble says, “It’s a great way to be physically active! All the activities are really fun and engaging, so it doesn’t really feel like you’re putting forth a lot of effort, but it’s a really great way to exercise and to be active–especially while you’re in college and trying to transition into this new lifestyle.”
The intramural sports program is so valuable to the college students here at HCC because of how welcoming it is for everyone. The goal is to get everyone involved so that they can enjoy being around other students while unknowingly strengthening their physical wellbeing. Intramural sports breaks the barrier between physical health and social anxiety so that the program can be a useful resource for students to not only have fun playing sports, but to enhance their physical health.
Making friends in college can be hard. It is not the same as in high school when you have grown up with the people around you since elementary. In college, you are meeting people from all over the state, and even some people from out of state, so it can be hard to develop conversations with fellow students you are meeting for the first time. With the intramural sports program, it is easier to engage with the people around you because you are outside of the classroom with other students playing a sport you are all interested in. In my interview with Sydney Kimble, I asked her how the intramural sports program can help with students mentally and she said, “For me, I was really shy in college and so intramurals was a really good way for me to put myself out there, get out of my comfort zone and to meet new people.”
All HCC students have a great opportunity to make friends through the intramural sports program. There are so many sports to be played throughout the week which allows for so many friendships to be made through those interests. Intramural sports can help you make connections with other students at HCC that you might have never thought you could have a connection with; all in all, this will improve your state of mind and positively affect your years at HCC knowing you have people you look forward to seeing after class at the intramural sports events.
My last question for Kimble was why do you believe students should participate in the intramural sports program at Holmes, and she stated, “I think it’s an awesome way to be involved in our Holmes family…It’s a great way to put yourself out there. You don’t have to be a former athlete…It’s something everyone can participate in, from students to faculty and staff, to our families and to our alumni. It’s a great way for the Holmes family to get together.”
Considering all this, the intramural sports program is a great place for students at Holmes to succeed physically and mentally. The program gives students the opportunity to play all kinds of sports while also making fond memories with the students here at Holmes. To get involved, follow @hccintramuralsports on Instagram and be on the lookout for announcements on the page regarding dates and times for when intramural sports will be held on campus.
