Intramural sports make a comeback

For the first time since 1934, SHS students have the opportunity to compete against their peers in intramural sports, thanks to efforts by the student council and Shorewood Recreation Department. The fall competitions opened this past Wednesday, October 28, with the first two games of an eight-game ultimate frisbee season.

Student council president Kevin McCollow, senior, explained that intramural sports “offer the best of both worlds,” in that participation isn’t restricted to any demographic or skill level. “The varsity caliber athletes shouldn’t be deterred from participating, because the sports offered aren’t contact-heavy or physically grueling. At the same time, they’re fun and unconventional enough to allow a unique opportunity for the kids just looking to have a good time.”

McCollow first mentioned the idea of a Shorewood intramural sports league in his speech as a candidate for student council executive board president last year. He said he wanted to start the league to promote greater school unity and “collective spirit.”

“At Shorewood we pride ourselves on not falling within typical cliques and feeling comfortable falling within our own distinct interest groups,” McCollow said. However, McCollow described that without a “parallel opportunity to transcend those friend groups and do things together as a student body,” school spirit can suffer.

Intramural games are held after school on early release Wednesdays from 2:30 to 3:15. The current ultimate Frisbee season will last 4 weeks, guaranteeing each team a chance to play 8 games, or 2 games per match day. Each team received custom uniforms as part of their $10 registration fee. Students of the intermediate and advanced graphic arts classes produced several designs as a class assignment; the winning design was created by senior Jason Frankiewicz-Palchak.

 “We had beautiful weather and clear skies” for the first game, McCollow said. “The energy level was high and the games were awesome.”

Four teams participated, and two more will play on October 28 in the second week of competitions. After the first day of competitions, Team Updoc, led by senior captain Mike Kushner, held firm control of first place with 2 wins and no losses.

However, McCollow was particularly impressed with the performance of two senior players on a losing team, “Five Guys, Two Girls, and Spencer Lipo Zovic.” Senior captain Ben Peterson and teammate Jonas Yela, senior, “took it to the competition,” said McCollow. Because some teams signed up late, no jerseys were available, but McCollow said that athletes would receive them by October 28.

Michael Kushner, senior captain of Team Updoc, said that he was “very excited” about ultimate frisbee, a sport he said he had a “passion” for. “Ever since middle school I’ve loved playing ultimate,” he said. “I’m glad to finally have it at the school.” One thing Kushner said he enjoyed about ultimate was simply “teaching people to throw a Frisbee.”

Some of the rules for ultimate Frisbee have been changed for intramural sports in order to make the game easier. For example, it is easier to sub in people in the intramural version of the game than in the official version, and teams are only allowed six players on the field, instead of the eight that is typical for ultimate.

For future seasons of intramural sports, McCollow plans dodge ball and kickball, for the winter and spring seasons, respectively. However, he expressed that he is open to suggestions for future seasons or tournaments.

McCollow is working with Nick Phalin of the recreation department to organize intramural sports. He said that the department is helping “with many of the logistics such as supervisor hiring, liability waivers, and scheduling.”

Intramural sports are just starting now because McCollow wanted to wait until all student council members were elected to begin.

McCollow views this first season as “something to get the ball rolling,” and hopes that positive feedback from the first season will lead to greater participation in upcoming seasons.

“I want this to be something that will continue long after I’m gone,” McCollow said.