Hot dates and great ‘scapes

Posted by admin on Sep 19, 2006 in Sports | 0 comments

It’s a new year at Trinity Western University. The campus buzz is waning to a murmur and the smiles and summer tans are fading as students re-enter the classroom. The fun, however, does not need to end with the season.

One purpose of Recreation Services is to provide students with opportunities for exercise and leisure to complement their academic schedules. There is a host of new activities available to students this year.

First, the brainchild of Dale Baumgartner has come to fruition, as weekly Shinny is now scheduled off-campus at Langley Twin Rinks on Thursdays from 3-4pm. For those of you who are unaware, Shinny is co-ed pick-up hockey requiring only a helmet, gloves, skates, a stick, and a small fee.

For students that don’t particularly enjoy being cold and would rather enjoy B.C.’s lingering fall warmth, Trinity Western’s Outdoor Club (TWOC) offers exciting hikes, a weekend of white-water rafting, and weekly rock climbing nights at Vertical Reality.

Those who enjoy the outdoors may also wish to try renting a kayak. Only $10 per day will get you a kayak, a paddle, a spray-skirt and a lifejacket. At this point, there are only two kayaks available for rent and you must be able to transport the kayaks yourself, but I still recommend it highly. During O-Week I paddled around McMillan Island in Fort Langley. I got a nice tan, swam in the river, saw a dead/bloated seal on the riverbank, saw a live seal a few feet in front of my boat, and a fish jumped out of the water right in front of me. In addition to being a sweet encounter with nature, kayaking is a great chance to hang out with a friend for a few hours. And for those guys who are especially crafty, a date on the river is a great idea. Not only is it romantic, but it also prevents your date from getting away very easily.

For those without wheels, Rec Services has developed a disc golf course. Stop by the Dougout to pick up a colourful Frisbee golf scorecard that includes a map of the official course.

Tennis lovers–if you can’t find a partner to play with or you simply want to brush up on your backhand, TWU now has a wall with a horizontal line, located in the ball hockey cage and now open for student use.

Traditional intramural sport leagues provide other options for students. These leagues offer students a great opportunity to be active and to meet new people. Dorm flag football is already underway and has been a classic way of dorm-bonding. Intramural leagues in basketball, volleyball, and indoor soccer will begin in early October.