By Whitney Spencer
Clayton Barnes was just an average student on the University of Louisville campus. At one point in time he lived in Threlkeld Hall, he had a job working in the Student Activities Center gym and he loved to play sports.
“I’ve been here 23 years,” said John Smith, director of the Department of Intramural and Recreational Sports. “In that space of time there have been hundreds of stories and people that I remember.”
As Smith leaned forward in his chair, he took a deep breath and grabbed a photo from a board behind his computer. As he laid the photo on his desk, he made it clear that there’s more to intramurals than what meets the eye.
“[Barnes] worked here in the gyms as a student, but participated in everything,” said Smith. “He was one of those guys who you never saw have a bad day. He always laughing, always picking up everybody around him. He was one of those guys that everybody wanted to be around. He played everything and he was good at everything. But it was just his attitude was the bigger thing – not the fact that he was good.”
As Smith continued with his story, the memorabilia of past intramural seasons decorated the room. Just a step away from me was a small box that held the schedule for the upcoming season. The pieces collected around that showed that there is a rich history surrounding intramural sports.
The photo of Barnes told a story all its own. He went on to graduate from U of L, marry a girl he met during his time here and start a family. It went right along with the shower of compliments that were being thrown his way. As the story deepened, it was clear just why Barnes was the story that stood out the most to Smith.
“He had sickle cell [anemia] while he was in college here,” said Smith. “Sickle cell could be triggered by exercise and heavy activity. Several times a year I would get a call saying Clayton was in the hospital because his sickle cell was acting up. As soon as he was out of the hospital, he was back playing.”
Barnes’ perseverance and willingness to be involved in every aspect of intramural sports is what makes his story so special to Smith.
“I felt bad when he played because I knew he could end back up in the hospital, but it was worth it for him to take that chance,” said Smith. “Clayton died a few years ago. I remember him today because he really had the spirit and philosophy that we’re after. He loved to be out with people and do things. It didn’t matter if he had ever played before or not, he just loved to participate.”
The Department of Intramural and Recreational Sports at U of L is home to a variety of activities and clubs to meet the interests, needs and abilities of all students. From Ultimate Frisbee to basketball to lacrosse club, the opportunities to get active and stay active are available during any season.
The department strives to make these activities about more than just skill. In a large university setting, many students miss the opportunity to meet other students outside of their comfort zones. With intramural sports, students are given the chance to meet new people and make new friends. According to Smith, close to 17,000 different students participate in intramural sports each year. Despite the friendly social interaction, competition runs high.
“Some of the leagues are very competitive,” said Smith. “Our leagues are all broken down into six divisions. The fraternity league is always competitive and the women’s closed league is always competitive. In our open leagues, there is an A division and a B division. The A division is always competitive and the B division is more for fun.”
All competition aside, the intramurals department strives to keep each and every game as fair as possible. Student referees are recruited and trained before the season begins, both in the classroom and in the field. Each game they work is monitored, as they receive instruction throughout the season as well. Former student officials have gone on to have successful careers as officials in major NCAA and professional sports. The department prides itself on giving its student officials the best possible training.
The opportunity to be involved in intramural sports is one unlike any other that students will find during their time in school. With the many demands faced throughout the school year, finding a way to be involved outside of the classroom has proved to be rewarding for many students.
“I have played both fraternity and regular intramurals,” said A.J. Pfeiffer, a senior communication major. “I played football, softball, basketball and tennis for Beta and now I play football and basketball with some guys that work for the football team with me. In my opinion, intramurals are great ways to meet new people and offer a great escape from the stress of schoolwork.”
While basketball and flag football still prove to be the most popular sports, they aren’t the only ones that continue to thrive. Ultimate Frisbee, along with several other sports, has seen a consistent rise each year. Many sports are on the verge of catching up with those that sit atop the popularity chart.
“Over the last few years our program has seen a great deal of growth in nearly every sport or event we offer,” said Adam Jines, coordinator of intramural sports. “From a program standpoint, I’d like to see more interest in softball and volleyball, as well as soccer. I feel that soccer in the near future will experience a large growth in participation on this campus. Basketball and flag football will always be popular sports, but I think soccer has the most potential for growth on this campus in the next few years.”
Soccer won’t be the only activity growing in the coming years, as the entire department looks to expand by adding three new intramurals for students to take part in. This school year will be the inaugural year for the corn hole tournament, the sports trivia tournament and team handball. These unconventional activities have the potential to attract a large number of students, both new and old.
For some, intramural sports are just that – sports. It isn’t until students become involved that they realize the many benefits that can be received. Clayton Barnes was just another student who took full advantage and realized the many valuable things intramural sports could offer.
“The value of intramural sports, as we see it, is as an outlet for students to blow off some steam in a healthy, welcoming social environment,” said Jines. “We are seeing more and more students coming to campus with the expectations of being engaged in some sort of on-campus activity. And we’re just trying to provide a fun, healthy option for them.”
