By By Dan Barrack

The “Freshman 15” is a well known theory around college campuses everywhere. A good way to keep that weight off is to become involved in physical activities. For all students who wish to stay in shape, the University offers a tremendous amount of recreational and intramural sports. The fall season has already begun, but it is not too late to still participate.

Flag football, outdoor soccer and five-on-five basketball are currently taking place. It is too late to sign up with friends to form a team, but individuals can still sign up. Registration can be done at the Recreation Center on the north side of campus or online at www.hofstra.edu/campusl/intramurals. Those who sign up now will be placed on the teams that need the most players needs. The five-on-five basketball is filled, but football and soccer remain available. The football rosters range from eight to twelve players, with 21 teams in the league. The league is split into three divisions, with each team playing within their division. Intramural football has no set schedule.

“We have them play as many games as possible until Thanksgiving break. We shoot for one to two games per week,” Assistant Director of Recreational and Intramural Sports Brian Austin said.

The Spring 2006 schedule begins on Feb. 7 and sign-ups should be finished no later than Feb. 6. The four sports of the spring schedule are three-on-three basketball, volleyball, stadium soccer and softball. A much-debated topic is the lack of an intramural baseball league. Baseball has been left out of the spring schedule for a few reasons, but participation is not the problem that is holding intramural baseball back.

“There is no space to play,” Austin said. “The softball fields are too small and are near parking lots. We want to avoid any damages and we can’t use the school baseball field because of how busy it is.”

For those who are not interested in team sports, there are 15 activities throughout the year that individuals can participate in. Some of the activities include a home run derby, three-point challenge and atable tennis tournament. These activities are listed in the Recreation Department along with flyers posted all over campus.

It is also important to remember the semesters can drag on and get very long if you do not open your horizons and participate in the activities that are offered on campus.

It’s simple to walk out of your room and go to class, but to have the will to work out and have fun at the same time is an acquired taste. The University does an excellent job of providing accomodating facilities for its students, both residents and commuters.

Also, if you are unsure of how to use a certain machine at the weight room or how to do a particular excercise, feel free to ask one of the many workers at the recreation center. They are trained and are normally more than happy to assist.

Whether it’s playing against fellow students or taking part in an individual activity, it is covered on this campus.

Be sure to sign up and have a fun time, and feel free to be competitive as well.

Do not be afraid to participate in an activity if you think you’ll play against an athlete from one of the University’s teams. They are not allowed to participate in the sport for which they in a Pride uniform.

If you have any questions about signing up or other information, call the Department of Recreation and Intramurals at (516) 463-6958.