This blog is meant to dive into the events and services SFA Campus Recreation has to offer. We want our participants to feel connected and want to give them a sense of belonging. Enjoy!
What’s up jacks and welcome back to SFA for fall ’10!
It’s going to be an exciting year for SFA and to keep up Campus Recreation is starting something new. The fall program guide (now available online at www.sfasu.edu/campsrec) beings our new integrated marketing campaign: Empower Yourself.
To quote the program guide, “each semester means fresh opportunities to improve, a new chance to empower yourself in all areas of life.”
If you think about it Campus Rec gives you the tools: Empower Yourself Physically through Fitness and Wellness; Emotionally through Aquatics; Intellectually through Safety; Socially through Sport Clubs and Intramural Sports; Environmentally through Outdoor Pursuits; Spiritually through Special Events; and Financially by becoming Staff.
As promised, starting this week my posts will increase to twice weekly. Tuesdays will be my usual blog, and Thursdays will be an empowerment tip designed to help YOU take charge.
Fall 2010 Hours
Student Recreation center
• Monday- Thursday: 6 a.m. – Midnight
• Friday: 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• Saturday: Noon- 10 p.m.
• Sunday: Noon- Midnight
HPE & Shelton Gym
• Monday- Thursday: 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.
• Friday: 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
• Saturday- Sunday: Closed
Outdoor Pool Hours
• Monday- Sunday: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
HPE Indoor Lap Swim
• Tuesday & Thursday: 6:30 a.m. – 8 a.m.
Rockwall Hours
• Monday- Thursday: 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
• Friday & Sunday: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Saturday: Closed
Outdoor Center
• Monday & Friday: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday – Thursday: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Administration Office & Wellness Service Center
• Monday- Thursday: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
• Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Saturday & Sunday: Closed
Remember Monday (9/6) is Labor Day and there are no classes! Campus Rec will be open Friday from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. - 5 p.m. and closed Monday.
Don’t forget to come back Thursday for an empowerment tip!
Dying to know what’s going on this fall? Here are my top 10 events brought to you by Campus Rec!
10. CPR/AED/First Aid Professional Rescuer Certification Class
October 16
Noon- 9 p.m.
Register at the Campus Rec Administration Office
If you’re looking to build your resume and expand your professional skills, this is the class for you. Plus, on a personal level, there’s no telling when you may need to step up and be someone’s hero.
9. National Collegiate Awareness Week (NCAAW)
October 26 & 28
4 p.m.-6 p.m. in the Rec Center Lobby
I love this week! Last year, they had me put on “drunk goggles” and try to walk a straight line. After I failed miserably (as expected) I stuck around to watch others try. It was absolutely hilarious; especially when people were cocky and then almost fell on their faces. There was also tons of information and free goodies.
8. Flag Football
Co-Rec registration: August 30-September 1
4- 6 p.m. at the IMS Desk in the Rec Center
Men’s and Women’s registration: September 20-22
11 a.m.- 4 p.m. at the IMS Desk in the Rec Center
Duh! Everyone loves this one. It’s huge! Maybe it’s because everyone can participate. They have men’s, women’s and co-rec! It’s also fun just to be a spectator or dedicated fan for your friends. There’s also a flag football skills competition September 23 4-6 p.m. in case you’re looking for a stage to show off that extra game confidence.
7. 6 vs. 6 Dodgeball with SAA
Register October 11-14 at the IMS Desk in the Rec Center
I have yet to witness this one, but this year I’m not missing it- there’s no way it won’t be entertaining.
6. Lumberjack Floats
August 31 6 p.m.- 7 p.m. Lumberjack Village Community Center
September 1 6 p.m.- 7 p.m. Steen Front Door
September 2 1 p.m.- 2 p.m. Kampus Books
Outdoor Pursuits loves to feed people and this is a prime example. In typical OP fashion, they will be OUTSIDE of the Village, Steen and Kampus Books serving FREE ice cream floats. They will also have information available about their upcoming events this fall including my next pick…
5. Thanksgiving Horse Packing in the Hill Country
Register by November 17 in the Outdoor Pursuits Office
I used to horseback ride all the time but ironically since I have lived in Texas (seven years), I haven’t been! You would think moving to the South would result in more horses. Anyway, there’s nothing like it.
4. Summer Loving
September 1
4 p.m. -7 p.m. at the Rec Center Courtyard & Pool
Did you say free food? All I have to do is show up? Yeah I’m there. Hey don’t judge me I’m in college! There will also be music and prizes if that makes a difference.
3. Job Fair
November 6
3 p.m. -6 p.m. in the Rec Center Lobby
Gotta give it up to this one- it’s how I got my job! Come to the Rec wearing business casual clothes and have a preliminary interview with a Campus Rec GA. If you fit the needed job description, you get to the next round for a more professional interview with the director of the program area that interests you the most. Just like that you could have a job with quite possibly your favorite spot on campus.
2. Men’s and Women’s Basketball
Registration: December 6-8
11 a.m.- 4 p.m. at the IMS Desk in the Rec Center
It’s no secret that basketball is my favorite sport. This is actually a spring event, but registration takes place in the fall so don’t forget to get your team together and sign up!
1. Women on Weights
Registration: September 20-21
4 p.m.-6 p.m. in the Rec Center Lobby
This is my top event because most women I know (myself included) want to workout more but are bored with the same routine, have little time, or just simply don’t know what to do. This event will solve all of your problems. It will force you to come to the gym four weeks in a row and help you customize your workout! Amazing right?
You don’t have to be a Brit to play on SFA’s 2009-2010 state champion rugby team (although I am very fond of trying to sound like one). All you have to do is come out to the field and show heart.
I went to a pre-season practice on the Intramural Fields on Wednesday to watch our champions in action.
A rugby match requires 15 players on each team and lasts 80 minutes, which is why the team is always looking to train new members.
Beginning this fall, SFA plans to “grow the game locally,” according to coach Pat Kuhns. Students from Nacogdoches High School will be allowed to practice with the big boys and compete with other high school teams. This will not only give SFA Rugby community service credit, but will increase the experience level of student athletes transitioning from high school to college, and hopefully make them want to enroll at SFA! The high school team will be called SFA Colts.
Speaking of growing, SFA Rugby hopes to expand even further by adding a women’s team. Other universities in our division already have them, so finding competition won’t be a problem. I went to the “SFA Rugby Girls Team” facebook group, and 23 girls have already joined! Looks like a promising number to start up a team this season.
Another way to participate is by becoming a Rugby Lil Sis. This type of program started years ago as a support group for ruggers, made up of their wives and girlfriends. Today, anyone can join! It’s a great way to get involved on campus, and meet new people- especially if you love sports but don’t necessarily want to play. The Lil Sis’ are dedicated fans, as well as managers for the guys.
SFA Rugby is chalk full of tradition, but perhaps the greatest comes every November and is known as Rugby Fest. Teams from all over come to compete in a tournament hosted by SFA. “Everyone collegiate-wise wants to come to Rugby Fest because it’s a really good time and a really good tournament,” said Philip “Crash” Hughes.
One thing that makes rugby unique from other sports is that after every match there is a social. The home team takes the visiting team out for food and drinks. Some universities even have restaurants that sponsor these socials in exchange for loyalty to their business. In most sports the losers are reluctant to even shake hands with the winners, let alone hang out with them. What a positive tradition!
Another thing the rugby team is interested in is building a fan base. They loved the support they received in the championship match this year, so lets keep it up! Here is the 2010-2011 schedule:
Sat. Sept. 18 - @ SHSU
Sat. Sept. 25 - Open
Sat. Oct. 2 - vs. University of Houston
Sat. Oct. 9 - Alumni
Sat. Oct. 16 - Cup Match vs. ASU
Sat. Oct. 23 - vs. U of D - Founder's Cup
Sat. Oct. 30 -Cup Match @ U of D
Sat. Nov. 6 - @ University of Texas
Sat. Nov. 13 - Rugbyfest
Sat. Nov. 20 - Cup Match vs. UNT
Sat. Nov. 28 - Thanksgiving Break
Sat. Dec. 4 - Cup Match @ Rice
Sat. Jan. 22 - vs. St. Edward's
Sat. Jan. 29 - SFA High School Tournament
Sat. Feb.5 - Cup Match vs. TCU
Sat. Feb. 12 - Cup Match Bye Week
Sat. Feb. 19 - Cup Match @ Baylor
If you’re interested in SFA Rugby (playing or becoming a Lil Sis), shoot an e-mail to:rugbysfasu@yahoo.com or visit their interest page on facebook: “Sfa rugby!!!”.
The fall semester is approaching and it’s the perfect time for me to investigate ways for you to spend your free time through Campus Recreation! How about sport clubs? I picked two to that I felt are interesting, and may be misunderstood: rugby and skateboarding. I will reserve rugby for next week, because after meeting with both I realized they are each too awesome on their own to share space! So, this week it’s all about SFA Skateboarding!
I contacted Micheal Wilson, who is in charge of communications and marketing. He answered my questions, and pointed me in the direction of President, Clifton Ellis, and Recruitment Officer, Marc Jackson. They were more than happy to meet with me and tell me all about with they do. I even got a private lesson, as well as a demonstration of a long board race!
Currently, Nacogdoches doesn’t have a skate park; so long board racing is what the team specializes in. A short board averages at about 20 mph, and a long board can get up to 60. Its long design makes it much easier to balance on, which is comforting because the races take place on hills.
After a race, funny awards are given out, such as “best crash” and “slowest rider.” The team travels all around Texas to compete against other universities, as well as non-collegiate teams. Their most notable event takes place in Austin and is known as 24-hour skate. They spend the weekend skating in a privately owned skate park. If they want, they can even sleep there!
The team is currently working on a project to get a university ramp built, which will increase short board participation.
“We have the most active university skate team in the country. If we had a park we would be the only university in the country to have one,” Wilson said.
Last fall, in its second year in existence, the team reached 40 active members- including both men and women. They are ALWAYS open to new skaters, and will even teach beginners. Current members experience levels range quite a bit. They are also gracious for help with team management and photography.
SFA will host a race in October. There is no set date yet, but I will keep you posted. It’s something you won’t wanna miss!
Watch this video of my encounter with Jackson and Ellis, and visit our sport club page to learn more about the 19 clubs SFA offers! Also note the information about starting your own club.
I’m sure you’ve heard this expression for years, yet you probably still hesitate to ask questions in fear of feeling silly. Fear not. No question equals no answer! In order to better serve you, my staff and me decided to find out exactly what information you are lacking about Campus Rec.
This week, instead of only bothering patrons within the Rec, I ventured outside onto campus. Maybe the people who shy away from the Rec simply have uncertainties that they need answers to. Maybe that’s not the case- but either way it provided me with twice the entertainment.
There were a few off-the-wall questions that made my day; but most centered on a misunderstanding of Campus Rec hours.
I completely understand this question. In fact, as a promotions staff member, I am part of the team whose job is to make sure you are aware of this information. Our program area designs and maintains displays of current information such as: hours, events, etc.
Let me clue you in on something that may help you better understand the hours. Have you ever noticed the Rec staff members walking around with clipboards? They are counting how many people are entering the Rec every hour. Why? So we know when to be open! The hours are catered to when YOU use it the most. Campus Rec debuted with much longer hours, and during certain time periods no one was here!
As far as cutting hours in the summer, take a look at these numbers:
Fall 2009- an average of 1,000 visited the Rec a day
Spring 2010- an average of 1,200
So far this summer- 700 people per day
That’s a 41.6 percentdecrease in visitors from the spring to the summer!
Campus Rec is not a 24-hour facility mainly because not enough people would use it at random hours of the night. Keeping the Rec open 24-hours would involve forcing student workers to be up all night while attending classes during the day. Sounds like a pain that would cause arguments over shift selection- not to mention some very grumpy staff members with bad grades.
That being said, what are our hours right now?
Monday-Friday 6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday- Sunday Noon- 8 p.m.
When the fall semester beings, our hours will increase- staying open until midnight most nights. C’mon, that should be ample time to get your sweat on!
All right, this next part might not make you too happy. There are certain circumstances that cause the Rec to close early or not open at all. Two are coming up.
The first is August 14- 15. This is graduation weekend and we will not have as many visitors. Therefore, the hours will be reduced to Noon- 5 p.m. instead of 8 p.m. (sorry). Congratulations to those who are graduating! What a great accomplishment.
The other upcoming inconvenience is August 23- 25. Over these three days the Rec will be closed all together. Before every new semester the entire Rec staff (aquatics, IMS, facility, etc.) comes together for training. There are so many staff members that the entire Rec Center is needed! On the positive, we kill two birds with one stone during this time and have the entire place thoroughly cleaned. Who wants to workout in a pigsty? Not I. Hey that rhymed.
If you’re worried about keeping up with all of this information, handbills (mini flyers) are available in the Lumberjack Lounge, at the kiosk by the welcome desk and in a rack by the locker rooms. During the school year, information about intramurals and other special events will be located in these same areas. OR, if you’re going green, I’ve seen people take pictures of the information on their cell phones to eliminate excess paper.
The same pretty much goes for the pool. It gets the most use during the day, so that’s when it’s open. When we did have longer pool hours, hardly anyone came at night! Closing early is the most practical thing to do.
ATTENTION ALUMNI! Did you know you can cancel and renew your membership at anytime? Unlike other gyms, Campus Rec offers a month-by –month system. Don’t want to pay for December when the students are on Christmas break? Fine. Cancel your membership and come back for the New Year. Going on vacation for two weeks in July? Great. Well see you in August! Considering that Campus Rec is a student facility, there is a cap on alumni memberships. BUT if you sign up once, you will never lose your spot- even if you cancel.
Here are your other questions:
1.What are the massage prices?
One of my previous blogs dealt with this question. I visited the Campus Rec masseur, Therese Hosteller, to find out all about her services. Like you, I had no idea!
Hosteller offers services to both members and non-members. Her specialties are: Chair Massage, Reflexology, Table Massage, Swedish Massage, Sport Massage, Trigger Point Massage and Deep Tissue. The prices are $12 for 15 minutes, $25 for 30 minutes and $50 for 60 minutes.
Also, read my June blog entry titled “Massages to-go?” for my Campus Rec massage review.
2.Does it cost to participate in a group exercise class?
That's a big fat NO!
When you wish to participate in a group exercise class, simply tell a staff member at the checkout desk which class you shall attend. You will then receive a Jax Pass. Bring this pass with you to class and hand it in to the instructor. Each class has a limit, and Jax Passes are the staff’s way of keeping count.
For more information on what to expect in a group exercise class, check out the following blogs:
“Nobody gonna break my stride!’’
“Shaking it up in Zumba!”
“Breathe in breathe out…laugh.”
3. Did someone die from climbing the rock wall?
This may surprise you, but assuming it is done correctly, rock climbing is actually quite safe. I learned this when I rock climbed for the first time earlier in the summer (reference “I made it to the top!” for the story).
Outdoor Pursuits Graduate Assistant, George Giavasis, told me what actually happened. Someone was using the equipment incorrectly at the Rec and fell off the rock wall. They did not die! The floor is padded in case said situation occurs.
So climb on! It’s safe.
4.Was Campus Rec built on a graveyard?
Somewhat true. Campus Rec was built over the graveyard of the late tennis courts if you will. Hopefully not enough to scare people away- but you never know. Tennis is a difficult sport.
5.Is it true that Campus Rec has only been open for three years?
Yes! Campus Rec is in fact a toddler just learning to talk. Can you imagine life without it? I sure can’t. To me, Campus Rec is the center of everything. It unites the campus and gives us something to be proud of. Three years ago, students were limited to the HPE. If you have been in there, you know the weight room is modest. Now, the HPE serves as extra space! It’s also the main location for indoor intramural events. Isn’t it great to breathe! I don’t know how SFA alumni survived without the Rec when they were students. You must agree, considering all the concerns about it not being open long enough!
6.Is it true that the 40-person hot tub can fit 40 people?
Close, but no cigar. The Campus Rec hot tub is actually a 30-person hot tub; and yes it can indeed fit 30 people! Hmm think you just gave me an idea for a future blog…
7. Is it true that people steal towels from Campus Rec?
Sadly, yes. :/ I judge you.
8.How many graduate assistants does Campus Rec have?
Convenient that this question is number eight because that’s how many graduate assistants there are.
Facilities and Membership Services (1):
Dan Belcher of the University of Virginia
Outdoor Pursuits (1):
George Giavasis of Kent State University
Fitness, Wellness, and Aquatics(3):
Michael Ryan of California State University Northridge
Alissa Underhill of Washington State University
Greg Nord of Texas Christian University
Promotions and Sponsorships(1):
Kati Van Dunk of Stephen F. Austin State University
Intramural Sports, Sport Clubs, and Camps(2):
Travis Lankford of the University of Texas at Austin
Joe Wise of Texas A&M Universit
Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, I will not be able to post the video of your questions at this time. But chin up! I have faith that my technology-savvy staff will get the problem corrected, and I will have it up in no time!
