By Whitney Spencer

For many students, being able to stay active while on campus is a major concern. The walk across campus is enough for some but many students look for intense exercise in a fitness center or a social exercise environment. The University of Louisville offers several facilities on and around campus to accommodate these student’s needs.

The most recognized of these facilities is the Student Activities Center. Many students consider this to be one of the best facilities around town with its wide selection of equipment so close to the comforts of campus.

The SAC, as it is commonly known, provides five racquetball courts, two squash courts and a complete locker room. Four multi-purpose gym floors are also open daily for basketball, volleyball and badminton.

“The gym is convenient but I wish they were separated so they didn’t seem like they were running together,” Courtney Allen, freshman Biology major, said.

The SAC is open weekdays from six a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and is free with a currently active student ID

For students looking for a more relaxed but still competitive atmosphere, the third floor of the SAC houses the Cardinal Corner. With a mixture of games such as pool, ping-pong and foosball, the Cardinal Corner is a good way to be active outside the gym.

One of the newest facilities on campus allows students to swim in an Olympic-size pool. The Ralph Wright Natatorium, located next to the Floyd Street Parking Garage on the corner of Warnock Avenue and Floyd Street, is an eight-lane, 50-meter competition pool ranging from four feet, six inches to 18 feet deep.

“I liked it, but every time I’ve gone there have always been [a lot of] people there,” Claire Linepensel, sophomore nursing major, said. “I had to wait a while to get a lane. That is the only beef I’ve had with it.”

The Natatorium is open daily from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays. Times vary on the weekends, and admission is free for U of L students.

The Humana Gym, located on Bradley Avenue and Eastern Parkway, is an option for students not looking to stay right in the heart of campus. This along with Crawford gym has a complete set of weight and cardiovascular facilities, dry heat saunas and gym floors. These facilities are open to students when they are not being used for intramural leagues and club sports.

“Crawford gym is a great place to have a serious workout,” Allen said. “It could use an update to the air conditioning system.”

Students should have no problems finding ways to stay active while on campus. With fully equipped facilities, an array of game tables, and a competition size pool at hand, students should stay busy, stay competitive and stay in shape.