Intramurals: Another way to gain glory
Jazmyne Boozer, Editor-in-Chief
A whistle blows and immediately Whitley Bras rushed the ball. After stealing from an opponent Bras gave a hearty shove to another defender and powered through to the goal. She gave a swift kick and the ball whizzed through the air, passed the goalie and sank into the net.
There’s shouting, there’s cheering and yes, even at NGU a few choice words fly from the opposing team. The rest of the night was filled with cheers, jeers and a few injuries. Students are pushed, shoved and flung across the wooded floors of the gymnasium.
If you think this is for a championship trophy, you’d be correct. But, it’s not for state or even for district…it’s for the glory of being the intramural champions.
Bras started playing soccer in high school. “I loved playing the sport. It allowed me to have a community with other girls who were all centered around one goal of winning a game,” she states.
After a nasty injury she took in her junior year, Bras stopped playing the game. “I ended up tearing my ACL after coming down from a jump wrong. Three surgeries and almost two years of physical therapy later I’m still back playing the sport I love.”
Getting in to NGU, Bras started playing intramural indoor soccer and basketball. “I thought it would be fun. It keeps me active,” she said.
You may be thinking, why intramural? Why not receive glory by playing for the school’s team? After Bras recovered from her injury, she did go to the soccer summer camp but found it to be too time-consuming. Although intramurals can be just as grueling to the body, Bras stated that “[intramurals] let me play and it’s more fun and just as competitive.”
Intramurals offers a competitive culture for students who may only have time to dabble in the sports they used to play. It may only seem like a fun pastime but Bras specifically states that she plays for the competition of it. Bras recalls seeing players thrown into the gymnasium walls and hard fouls. In fact, one player was reported to have to go to the hospital for a concussion. This isn’t your mother’s intramural team
Bras’ indoor soccer team, “chicken flavored ramen” finished second this year overall. “That’s not too bad,” Bras states.
