Courtesy Photo
Karina Rodriguez | THE RIDER
UTRGV Athletics has seen an array of cancellations amid COVID-19, and unfortunately, intramurals are no exception.
With the virus continuing to spread throughout the Rio Grande Valley, UTRGV officials have made the difficult decision to cancel all contact sports normally played during intramurals.
University Recreation Director Kimberly Rottet explained that they are still seeking approval from UTRGV about continuing single person sports, such as tennis. At the moment, there is not a confirmation on whether or not that will happen.
In an interview with UTRGV Intramural Referee and player Samantha Avila, she said that she is going to miss participating in intramurals on campus.
“It’s just welcoming,” Avila said. “You get to meet a bunch of people and make connections with them and make friends outside of your normal groups.”
She has been a participant in intramurals since 2016 by playing in volleyball, basketball and dodgeball.
“It’s been an escape for me outside of classes. So, it is going to be a little different,” Avila said.
UTRGV Intramural Referee and player Jannette Loera shared similar sentiments when asked about how she felt about the cancellation of intramurals this semester.
“My favorite part was getting to do something active in real game settings, not just working out, which is great,” she said. “I like the other stuff that the Rec offers, but I like the competitive side of intramurals.”
For Loera, she has found a healthy balance through at-home workouts. She found that going through a pandemic is quite similar to her off-season time during her high school years.
“There was a time in high school when we didn’t have seasons, sports or actual game sports, so I got into the routine of doing at-home workouts,” she said.
