The Campus Recreation Department offers a variety of intramural sports during the summer that any enrolled Eastern students can participate in for free.

Faculty and staff holding Student Recreation Center memberships are eligible to participate, too.

Basketball free throws, tennis, racquetball, table tennis and bags are the programs being offered through the 2019 summer program; tournaments will take place at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays throughout the summer and at various locations in the Student Recreation Center and Lantz Fieldhouse.

The free throws tournament will take place on Wednesday, tennis on June 19, racquetball on July 10, table tennis on July 17 and bags on July 24.

Students have until the day before the tournament to sign up, and divisions include men’s and women’s singles and doubles.

Kevin Linkler, assistant director of campus recreation and director of intramural sports, said the summer sports programs are designed with the students in mind; people can choose from singles and doubles sports tournaments, which will be completed within one evening.

Many students are off campus or have other obligations during the summer, and condensing the sports to single days and individual-style play rather than team sports ensures that students still have access to intramurals without a large time commitment, he said.

Despite a historically lower number of intramural participants in the summer, campus recreation still wants to offer the programs to present summer students with the same opportunities as fall and spring students, he said.

Intramural sports have been an integral part of campus recreation for many years, and Linkler said he intends to keep it that way.

He said intramurals are one of the oldest forms of campus recreation, dating back to the 1930s, and as their popularity grew, universities began building fitness centers around the sports programs.

Linkler said he hopes people realize that anyone with the appropriate membership can take advantage of this program; people do not have to be athletes to participate.

He also hopes more people become involved because they value the sports and have a genuine enthusiasm to get started.

“That’s what it’s about—finding something that you like to do and doing it and enjoying it, and being your best at it—being competitive or just having a good time,” Linkler said.

While intramural sports winners will receive a champion t-shirt and a spot on the wall of champions, he said everyone has something to gain from participating, whether that be the comradery, sportsmanship, stress-relief, exercise or even a lesson from loss.

“Losing can teach you some things, and it can also give you a drive to do better,” he said.

Linkler said those interested can sign up through the IMLeagues website, which is available on the Campus Recreation website.

The Student Rec Center also offers regular facility hours and fitness classes through the summer, he said.

The Intramural Sports Office is located inside Campus Recreation and is reachable via phone at 581-7000 or at imsports@eiu.edu.

Alyssa Cravens can be reached at 581-2812 or at aecravens@eiu.edu.