Three Intramural Sports Leagues Suspended
In an effort to increase open gym hours, the intramural Basketball, Frisbee, and Soccer leagues, all of which compete in the Max Stern Athletic Center’s Melvin J. Furst Gymnasium, will have a delayed start to their season this Spring semester.
On Wednesday, January 25, undergraduates of the Wilf Campus received an email from the school’s Athletic Director Joe Bednarsh issuing such a mandate in response to students expressing frustrations about the facility’s limited availability. “I have heard your valid concerns about available free time in the facility and am exploring ways to increase open gym hours,” wrote Mr. Bednarsh. “One immediate step we have taken is to implement a later start of the intramural seasons.”
This past Fall semester, the Basketball league occupied the gym from 10:00 pm to 12:00 am on Monday nights, and both the Soccer and Frisbee leagues played on Sundays, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and 10:00 pm to 12:00 pm, respectively. These time slots will now be available for general student use instead of being reserved for intramural leagues as it had been in previous semesters.
“While I understand where Mr. Bednarsh is coming from, I don't think that the hundred-or-so students involved in intramurals should be forced to make sacrifices when the time slots they occupy are not the ones being contested,” said frustrated senior Aaron Haber, who serves as commissioner for the Frisbee League. “Very few people are looking to shoot around at 11:30 at night.”
Some students have expressed interest in utilizing these hours that had previously been unavailable, however. Jeremy Shevach, a Syms junior, said, “I’m pleased to hear about the extra hours for open gym. I have a lot of classes and work, so this gives me more flexibility for when I want to work out in the gym.”
The intramural hockey league, which plays its games in the MTA gym, is unaffected by this development and will commence in early February.
Mr. Bednarsh noted that details about the start dates and registration for the affected leagues would be sent out shortly.
photo credit: YU Macs
