The Student Government Association (SGA) of Eastern Nazarene College (ENC) is making changes to the intramural sports this year, specifically regarding their relationship with the YMCA.
The Director of Recreational Life, Noah Cheney, has decided not to hold intramural Soccer sports at the Quincy YMCA. This decision impacts the intramural soccer season, held in the Spring semester.
Eastern Nazarene College still holds a very strong relationship with the YMCA. However, renting the space for intramurals was becoming too expensive for the Recreational Life department.
“With the budget and everything, I felt like the money would be better used in other places, like getting new equipment,” shared Cheney.
Cheney shared that it costs about $175 per hour to rent the YMCA’s turf field. With soccer intramurals held for two hours every Tuesday and Thursday, that proved to be a big chunk of the recreational life budget. Cheney confirmed that soccer will still be an intramural sport this year. However, the games will now take place in the Lahue Physical Education Center on ENC’s campus.
By changing the location of the Soccer intramurals from the YMCA to the college’s gym, the recreational life department will now have funds to invest in new areas. Cheney said, “I have already spent some [money] on new equipment for Flag Football, new equipment with volleyball and just getting better stuff ‘cause some of our stuff is a little bit older.”
Many students have not heard about Cheney’s decision. News of the location change came to a surprise to some of the students.
International student Jose Mata, a junior, has been involved with intramural soccer since his freshmen year. “Honestly I think I would have preferred it at the YMCA but I think I played one game my freshman year at the gym and it wasn’t that bad,” said Mata, “I also want to see what SGA does with the money.”
Junior Kaitlyn Casey is not as involved in the intramural sports. She only played a game or two as a substitute on her friend’s team so that they wouldn’t get disqualified. However, Casey was still interested in learning about the location change, “It saves money, but there is always the option to raise money if it’s that important for them.”
This semester, the intramural sports offered by the recreational life are dodgeball and volleyball. Spring semester intramural sports include basketball, soccer, and ultimate frisbee. For students interested in getting involved in intramural sports, get in touch with the recreational life department in the SGA office.