Bring the energy
By Jesse Berlin
Junior Faith Rackers had made it: the championship game. One last match to end the postseason. This journey wasn’t always a smooth one.
“The first game, we struggled,” she said. But Racker’s flag football team had discussed strategy and identified players’ strengths and weaknesses. Each week, the team improved.
Now, with five seconds left and the crowd going wild, Racker’s team managed to break the tie and seal their victory.
Afterward, the teams came together for a postgame prayer. The players circled up and congratulated each other on great seasons.
“These are girls that we have never met before,” Rackers said. “Through intramural sports, we were able to have that experience.”
Intramural sports are open to anyone with a MizzouRec membership. Players can form or join teams or sign up as free agents year-round in nine different indoor and outdoor sports. Whereas club sports teams play other colleges or universities, intramural sports teams play each other.
Rackers says she tends to be quiet around others. Participating in intramural sports has helped unlock a more open, outgoing side of her personality.
“Sports brings out that energy,” she said. “It brings you out of your shell.”
Before transferring to MU, first-year law student Jared Gillen competed in the MLB Draft League, a summertime baseball league used by Major League Baseball to see draft-eligible players in action before the MLB Draft.
Some players make it. Gillen, unfortunately, was one of the ones who didn’t. However, intramural basketball gave him an outlet to feed his sports passion.
“It might not be as serious,” he said, “but it’s still fun to tap into that competitive nature.” Plus, it’s a nice way to “group up with your buddies and blow off some steam.”
Gillen’s team qualified for the playoffs and made it to the semifinals. However, “We had a really close game and lost in the final seconds,” he said.
Even with the loss, Gillen still looks at it positively.
“We all just sat there for an hour until the Rec closed, just messing around, joking,” he said. “Whatever the skill set might be, you’re just kind of enjoying doing something with your friends.”
‘I can do this’
When she started out as intramural sports official, monitoring flag football games, sophomore Ayden Donfris felt like she didn’t know what she was doing.
“Every day after work, I would go home and I would research,” she said. “I would do the hand signals in the mirror.”
During games, intramural sports officials are on the field or court, issuing penalties and making sure players follow the rules.
“It’s taught me a lot about communication skills,” Donfris said, “How to be kind and empathetic while also being firm with what you need to do.”
Now, Donfris is an intramural sports lead, who oversees the officials. She feels more confident in her abilities.
“You realize, ‘Okay, I’m the one that’s in charge here,” she said. “I can do this, no matter what gets thrown at me.”