Softball is summer's only game in town

By Eric Rangus erangus@emory.edu

From table tennis to badminton, basketball to football, the Office of Recreational Services’ intramural program offers a wide variety of athletic competition to the entire Emory community throughout the year.

Dozens of teams, primarily made up of undergraduate students, sign up for popular sports like football and soccer. But over the summer, IM competition is scaled down and offered in just one sport: softball.

The labor shortage is felt not only by teams, but also in administration. On game nights, one rec services representative oversees play, but players umpire themselves—the catchers calling balls and strike with the aid of an orange target, and base coaches handling plays in the field. However, majority tends to rule regarding a close play, and sportsmanship is generally quite good.

The fee to sign up a team for any sport is $20, although individuals can play free of charge, as long as they have a valid ID. They are placed on a free-agent list and team captains contact them should they have an opening.

The free-agent list is how many staff members signed up as teams were sponsored primarily by student organizations or individual schools.