With intramural sports sign-ups beginning soon, UNA students can expect some changes to the program this year. Students are going to have bigger roles in the organization and running of intramural sports.

Intramurals will essentially be put in the students’ hands to meet the students’ needs. Dexter Shorter, formerly in charge of intramural sports, is no longer employed by the UNA Student Recreation Center.

“Dexter Shorter accepted a position at Ohio State University as a coordinator of intramural sports,” said Jim Eubanks, the director of recreational sports and fitness at UNA. “Intramural sports will be managed and operated by a group of students pursuing Collegiate Recreation as a major or career.”

Eubanks said Shorter’s position may be filled later, but for now intramural sporting events and organization will be operated by students. Eubanks will also be helping fill Shorter’s position until the students get in the swing of things.

Although the person over intramural sports is changing, the sporting events are not.

“Flag football and volleyball will be the main activities,” Eubanks said. “The activity offerings will be established by Sept.18 and then published thereafter.”

So far, no intramural sporting events have happened because of all the different activities on campus, Eubanks said. After Greek recruitment takes place, teams will be divided and schedules will be made. Any student may start a team or join an existing team, if they have enough members.

UNA Fitness Coordinator Glenda Richey said a rough estimate of about 175 students participate in intramurals each year, forming about 80 teams in all.

Eubanks said he hopes to provide students with individual and dual sporting activities in intramurals this year. Any student interested in signing up for intramural team sports can find all the information they need at the SRC or on their UNAPortal account. There is also a rulebook for intramurals located on UNA’s website.

The intramural program is just one of many serivces the SRC provides to help students stay healthy. The promotion of healthy lifestyles is the center’s main goal, according to its mission statement.

The SRC is open for students daily. It offers basketball and volleyball courts, various exercise classes, and a World of Wings Cafe & Wingery.