9.1

SPORTS

The Norwich Guidon
October 16, 2003

NU students look forward to upcoming intramural basketball season

By Ed Sulton El
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

Of all the intramural sports at Norwich University, basketball ranks as one of the most popular among the students.

"There are a lot of teams, so we don't play the same people every day. In intramural basketball there are so many teams you don't know who's coming next," said Irvin Ponde, 21, an architecture major from Brooklyn, N.Y. "It's full of adrenaline, excitement, and people are screaming and shouting. That's what makes it basketball."

The main reason why students choose to play intramural basketball is that it's not as time consuming as collegiate basketball.

"It's so much like a business when playing for varsity basketball, but intramurals is just so much more fun," said Sean Twomey, 22, a senior criminal justice major from Melrose, Mass.

Collegiate basketball at NU, like all the other collegiate sports, is time-consuming. For players who want to focus on their grades, intramural basketball is their best alternative.

"The collegiate team is more structured and organized around a time system. Intramurals is just do what you do best and have fun," said Lavar Barksdale, 21, a senior communications major from Bronx, N.Y.

"If you want to just have fun and relax, intramural basketball is good, plus you don't have a coach yelling at you," said Chase Decker, 20, a freshman communication major from Wenatchee, Wash.

The informal coaching and makeup of players is another advantage to intramural basketball.

"In Intramurals we don't have a coach; we just have people come together and try to win a game," said Ponde.

"Intramural basketball is a lot like playing on a playground back home," said Jamar Rawles, 20, a junior from New Haven, Conn.

But not having real referees is an issue that can concern some players. "If the referee makes a bad call, it can jeopardize the whole game and the other team might win because of it. That is what makes some teams angry." Terrence O'Neil, 21, a junior from Warren, N.H., who has refereed before said, "this game gets pretty rough when a foul is called. The students take the game very seriously. When I call fouls, the students get really upset sometimes," O'Neil said. "They can be a real pain in the butt, sometimes."

"The [referees] seem to be harder on my team because we win a lot of games. They call us for all sorts of fouls. They try to control the game, but everyone on my team played basketball before, so we know it's not a foul," Twomey said.

Unlike collegiate basketball, intramurals at Norwich features coed action.

"Some players are in serious competition when a girl like me shoots and scores on them," said Karli King, 19, a math major from Chester, Vt. "It's a big deal to most the guys that I play against."

Communications Professor Bill Estill sees the program as a way for those struggling with academics to still have a sport outlet in their lives.

"I think it's great that we have intramural basketball. Sometimes I have students who are on academic probation that came here to play varsity basketball, but are not allowed to because of their grades," Estill said.

"I play because the Norwich team takes up too much of my time," King said. "Intramurals is a lot of fun. Being one of the only girls, they still make me feel comfortable."

"It's not a win or lose situation. It's about having fun, and intramural basketball is just about loving the game," said Herb Fleurinord, 21, a sophomore business administrative major from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "Some of us don't have time to play basketball for the school, and we couldn't all make the team."

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.