Spring Intramurals Champs announced

Pictured here, top: Spikeball champions Shami, Bonkball, and Chen^2. Bottom: Cornhole champions T Berry and Bocce Ball champions Skyline.

Intramurals is excited to celebrate our spring term champions! This spring we hosted nine intramural activities which consisted of seven in-person sport tournaments, a UW Trivia League, and a PAC-12 Trivia Night. Over 250 students participated in intramural activities this quarter!

Congrats again to our Spring Intramural Champions! Champ and additional event photos can be found on our UW Intramural Wall of Champions Flickr Page.

Top: Basketball HORSE champion Sadio Traore; women's 2v2 volleyball champs Snooki & JWoww. Bottom: co-rec 2v2 volleyball champs Can't Commit and and men’s 2v2 volleyball champs Sheesh we are bad. — Top: Basketball HORSE champion Sadio Traore; women’s 2v2 volleyball champs Snooki & JWoww. Bottom: co-rec 2v2 volleyball champs Can’t Commit and and men’s 2v2 volleyball champs Sheesh we are bad.

Champs by sport or activity

2v2 Sand Volleyball Tournament
Co-rec: Can’t Commit
Men’s: Sheesh we are bad
Women’s: Snooki & JWoww

Basketball HORSE Tournament
Men’s: Sadio Traore

Bocce Ball Tournament
Open Doubles: Skyline

Cornhole Tournament
Open Doubles: T Berry

Soccer HORSE Tournament
Open: Maya Oleynikova

Softball Home Run Derby
Open Team of 3: The Milk & Cookie Boys
Women’s: Anneliese Boucher
Men’s: Logan Moore

Spikeball Tournament
Co-Rec: Shami
Men’s: Chen^2
Women’s: Bonkball

UW Trivia League
Open: Ethan Benson

PAC-12 Trivia Night
Open: Ethan Benson

Top: Softball home run derby open team of three champs The Milk & Cookie Boys; soccer HORSE champ Maya Oleynikova. Bottom: women's and men's softball home run derby champs Anneliese Boucher and Logan Moore; UW Trivia League and Pac-12 trivia champ Ethan Benson. — Top: Softball home run derby open team of three champs The Milk & Cookie Boys; soccer HORSE champ Maya Oleynikova. Bottom: women’s and men’s softball home run derby champs Anneliese Boucher and Logan Moore; UW Trivia League and Pac-12 trivia champ Ethan Benson.

Registration for summer intramural sport leagues and tournaments is now open. Visit our website to sign-up for 3v3 Soccer, Ultimate Disc, Softball, Tennis Single/Doubles, and more!

Summer Intramurals are FREE and are open to UW students, faculty, and staff with an IMA membership. Reach out to recim@uw.edu with any follow up questions or concerns.

Congratulations to the 2021 senior class!

We applaud all of our 2021 graduates and couldn’t be more happy for you! As a small measure of gratitude, we wanted to take a moment to thank those senior student employees who have helped UW Recreation to reopen and thrive in the last several months.

Read on for a virtual yearbook celebrating this year’s awesome and valued Rec seniors!

FITNESS

Kendrick Lu is our first student personal trainer! Kendrick is professional, kind, and hard working.
Lexi Rohrer has done an incredible job transitioning from our Fitness Instructor Training program to becoming one of our premier instructors. We will miss her! Thank you for also helping the operations team open back up the IMA!
Sophie Werner is a true team player! Not only has she helped me [Rec fitness manager Jeff Palmer] greatly as a fitness lead, but she also assisted me with FIT and assisted the facility as a whole. Sophie has had a great attitude and positive influence working in operations.

“A huge thank you to all UW Recreation graduating seniors! Your patience and hark work has been amazing over the last year and we truly appreciate your contributions in helping us provide wellness opportunities in these challenging times.

The reopening of the IMA, Golf Range, and Waterfront Activities Center could not have been accomplished without our amazing students! Good luck to all of you.”
– Facilities and Operations staff member

OPERATIONS

Jason Creighton (Operations & Intramurals) is a leader on the Operations team and a natural at hosting Intramural trivia! Jason has been with us for four years (!) and is a true customer service all star! Within Intramurals, Jason’s creativity and initiative blossomed through hosting weekly trivia night for everyone to enjoy. Thank you for creating a welcoming and fun event.
Willy Ha has a positive attitude and a great work ethic. He is always willing to help out his coworkers and provide excellent customer service!
Mariana Madera (Operations & Golf Range) has been a welcome addition to the Operations Team. She has been very helpful in our locker room clean out project as well as a star at the Golf Range.
Laura Valle has been a constant help with our locker room project and always has a positive attitude!

CRAGS CLIMBING CENTER

Ari Asarch has been incredibly communicative throughout the past year, and came back to the Head Route Setter position with positive energy and a willingness to improve the gym!
Izzy Eelnurme was willing to come back to Crags with short notice and has been incredibly willing to help out while still getting in a truly impressive ski season and a Northwest Avalanche Center Fellowship!
Owen Kovarik jumped back to Crags with enthusiasm even if things didn’t go quite as fast as his UW Formula Motorsports team!
Katie Layton has been working to finish off the Crags week and go the extra mile with all of the new sanitization protocols!
Jared Nakata has jumped back on to the team and will be teaching the majority of the Basic Climbing courses!
Reily Savenetti has come back to Crags with a willingness to instruct classes and make her Mondays as busy as ever!

“Our student employees have been the only reason we have been able to be open and functioning through parts of the pandemic. From their constant need to be flexible as we switch from phase to phase and adjust hours, to their determination to hold their peers accountable to safety guidelines, our students have done all of this while fielding many frustrations.

We owe them so much to keeping our department open to patrons and I hope we can highlight that. I can’t think of a single student employee on our team [senior or not] that doesn’t deserve to be on this shout out. I am so grateful and proud of them as a whole.” – Facilities and Operations staff member

INTRAMURALS

Sam Akomea* enlightens your day with his joyful and positive attitude. Thank you for always being a team player and for supporting your co-workers when in need.
Bryn Langrock is always ready to take on any challenge headed her way. Thank you for your patience and adaptability.
Jack Liedtke* continuously puts his best foot forward every day at work. Thank you for begin a dedicated and hardworking employee.
Maggie Ruden took on a lot this year and jumped in with two feet. Thank you for your dedication to learning new things and your ability to tackle new challenges.
Kara St. John’s* positive attitude and attention to detail are two attributes I [Intramurals manager Sam Rodenberg] appreciate about her. Thanks for being a great co-worker and for sharing new ideas to better our program.

*Not seniors, but we would like to thank them anyway for their awesome contributions this past year!

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS & ASUW SHELL HOUSE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

Cameron Wong has been working with UW Recreation since he began his studies at the UW! On the marketing side, Cameron has a great sense of design, he’s efficient and puts a lot of attention and detail into his work, and he is pleasure to work with. Regarding his work on the campaign, he is invaluable to the success and forward momentum of it, and his kindness, positivity, professionalism, and engaging personality make him a proud representative of our university.

Once again, thank you to all of our student employees, and well-wishes to every graduate! We appreciate you.

It’s possible due to our current operations that we may not have realized that some student staff are graduating! If we’ve missed you, it was not intentional. Please reach out to Marketing and Communications manager Robin Brooks at rebrooks[at]uw[dot]edu if this is the case and we will remedy the situation!

Some quotes in this piece have been lightly edited.

Exploring green spaces

Enjoy the sun – or even the PNW mizzle – at one of the many outdoor spaces the city of Seattle, Rec, and the UW campus offer!

Intrepid Creative Team student photography lead Kaitlyn Confer went exploring over the past several weeks; here are some of her photos and reasons for visiting each location.

Gas Works Park (above)

Best things to do: watch the sun set over the Seattle skyline, or the sailboats glide on lake union, soak up the sun, fly a kite, or read a book.

Volunteer Park in Capitol Hill

Great spot to throw a frisbee or play lawn games, or to grab some food and eat dinner in the park with friends. Check out 15th Avenue for lots of yummy options.

Denny Lawn (Seattle campus)

Take a walk through campus and find a spot to chill out on Denny lawn. Excellent place to do some light studying and work on group assignments.

Golden Gardens Park
Get there early and grab a spot with a fire pit. Bring a ball and play some beach volleyball with friends or walk along the beach. Watch the sun set on the Olympics.

Join UW Rec for an overview on the IMA Locker Rooms and Pool Renovation Project

IMA Locker Rooms & Pool Renovation Project

Students, UW employees, and members of the general public are invited to a Zoom discussion about the upcoming Intramural Activities Building (IMA) remodeling project scheduled to begin this summer. The meeting will include an introduction by Recreation Director Matt Newman, which will include information on the project goals and funding, and a brief overview by the design/build team. Their portion will include aspects of what the new IMA locker rooms, pool, and other spaces could end up looking like.

We’ll then open up the time for a Q&A session and comments session that will be moderated by Matt. We hope you can join us for this exciting chance to learn more about this project, which will impact users for many years to come.

To join, please use this Zoom link on Tuesday, May 18 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. PT: https://washington.zoom.us/j/92797359078.

Paddling construction guidance

Thinking of renting a boat from the Waterfront Activities Center (WAC)? Please do! We want you to get out on the water safely, and with that in mind, we ask that you take a look at this short video on YouTube put together by the WSDOT.

The video explains your role in keeping everyone well around the current construction project: a new eastbound SR 520 bridge.

The area west of Foster Island under the bridge will remain closed until the project is complete in 2023.

For the area east of Foster Island, please follow signs to stay out of the work zone and stay 100 feet from construction. In general, you will have to paddle farther east to safely cross under the bridge.

We look forward to seeing you at the WAC!

Masking up while working out

Author Jeff Palmer lifts weights in the IMA while wearing a mask. — The author lifting weights in the IMA while wearing a mask.

By Jeffrey Palmer, Rec fitness manager

Let’s just admit it up front: it’s hard wearing a mask during exercise sometimes. However, as a result of research on coronavirus transmission at fitness facilities conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Governor Inslee’s mask mandate, the IMA has adopted a policy that members are required to wear a face covering at all times in the IMA building, even when exercising.

I vividly remember my first time running a trail in a face mask. I was with a colleague; I had a standard face mask and she had a professional-looking sports-branded mask. Although I love running and regularly do competitive runs and trail runs, running in a mask was new for me.

I seemed to be sucking the mask into my face every 30 seconds during the run, and I felt restricted, claustrophobic, and like my breathing was impacted. Before this run, I assumed that all masks were created equal. Not true!  When I noticed how easily my colleague was managing the run, I decided to investigate various types of masks and possibly invest in a better quality one. I have been amazed at the difference the right mask can make!

Is it safe to wear a mask while exercising?

The CDC states that wearing a mask during exercise is safe, as masks don’t significantly restrict oxygen flow. However, wearing a mask may affect how exercise impacts our bodies, according to exercise scientists. Cedric Bryant, president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, states that for some people, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” (1) Huskies should keep this in mind and monitor their heart rate, especially during intense training or aerobic exercise. Consider adjusting your workout if that makes sense for you, and don’t push yourself too hard. Take breaks as needed.

The CDC recommends that individuals who have a respiratory disease (like asthma) or heart disease be evaluated by a doctor before attempting to exercise with a face mask. For the rest of us, here are some tips to keep in mind when choosing and using a face mask for exercising.

Finding a workout mask that works for you

There are many types of masks to consider, and each has its pros and cons. First, avoid disposable masks during exercise – they become wet and uncomfortable quickly. They also easily get sucked in while you’re breathing. Cloth masks made from breathable fabric may resist moisture better.

Moisture-wicking fabrics like polyester can work well for workout masks. A metal ridge at the nose helps keep the mask in the proper position, adding to the comfort level. Most people choose not to use a hard mask (like an N95) – they don’t allow for a lot of air exchange, although, on the other hand, they don’t suck in when you breathe. If you choose to wear a hard mask, you will need a great fit.

In fact, for any type of mask you choose, a proper fit is crucial. Put on the mask and make sure it’s comfortable and the right size for your face. Open and close your mouth several times with it on. Does it stay in place, or does it drop down below your nose or even your mouth? If it doesn’t stay in place, keep looking.

The mask should fit snugly but not feel restrictive. The texture of the fabric should not irritate your face or skin. Some athletic clothing companies, including Under Armour, Koral, Zensah, and others, make masks especially for use during exercise. You may need to try several brands and models to find the one that works best for you.

More tips for feeling your best while using your workout mask

Whichever type of mask you choose, plan a trial run. Don’t wear a new type of mask during an important competition!
A mask may make you feel warmer than usual when exercising. Make sure the rest of your clothing allows you to stay as cool as possible.
Carry extras of your preferred mask. Even breathable fabric masks may become wet and uncomfortable and need to be replaced.
Wash your mask after each use.
If you start feeling light-headed, dizzy, uncomfortable, or have difficulty breathing, stop what you’re doing. Remove your mask and take a few slow, deep breaths. Rest a bit.

Masks may not be the most fun thing in the world to wear, but they can help keep you and your fellow gym patrons safe. Whether you love the gym or are a dutiful exerciser, I can assure you that purchasing the right mask makes ALL the difference!

(1) Source: https://ventfitness.com/wearing-a-mask-while-working-out/

Winter Intramurals highlights announced

A team member of Teriyaki Donut dressed in Hawaiian attire sits at the Hedges Waterway Park. — A team member of Teriyaki Donut says “aloha” at the Fritz Hedges Waterway Park.

During the winter quarter our Intramurals program offered a variety of in-person and virtual opportunities for students and staff members. Learn more about these challenges and the champs who participated in them below!

Scavenger Hunt League

Ten teams participated in the Scavenger Hunt League which took place on the UW Campus. Teams were given two clues each week which led to a specific location on campus. After deciphering the clues, teams traveled to the location to take a team photo. Points were awarded to teams based on accuracy and creativity of their photos.

The Open Division Champion for this challenge was Teriyaki Donut. Some of the most creative photos submitted are found throughout this piece!

Participants feign running from a dinosaur at the Burke Museum. — The Boogie Plants barely avoid getting eaten at the Burke Museum.

Chess Board Game Tournament

Twelve teams participated in this virtual board game tournament. All games were self-scheduled by the participants and played on the cardgames.io website. Participants played three pool play games. Playoffs consisted of a single elimination bracket.

The Open A Division Champion was Tom Ruffin, and the Open B Division Champion was Albert Wang. Congratulations!

Trivia

Virtual trivia was hosted every other Tuesday night during the winter term. Themes ranged from sports and movies to “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” Winners from each night were awarded an Intramural Champ T-shirt. A trivia grand champion was deemed after tallying up total points across all five trivia nights.

The Open Division Champion for trivia was Ethan Benson. Way to go!

Month of Movement

Members of Team Beaulieu pose with The Big W — Team Beaulieu locates the The Big W!

Participants had the month of February to complete the movement challenge they signed up for: Cascade 25 mile, Olympic 50 mile, and Rainier 100 mile. Participants could achieve their distance however they saw fit over the course of the month. Any type of movement would count towards their miles, such as hiking, running, walking, rolling, biking, etc. Additionally, participants met every Thursday night to learn about all things trail running from our experts at UWild.”

Congratulations to Olympic 50 Mile Challenge Finishers Anna Tomz and Diana Douglass.

Members of the team The Finding Fathers pose with a box of Life cereal at the Sylvan Grove Theater. — The Finding Fathers enjoying Life (cereal) at the Sylvan Grove Theater.

Husky Strava Challenge

Each week a new movement challenge was released (i.e. complete a 5k your way, stair workout, etc.) Participants would complete the challenge and record their participation on the UW Recreation – Intramurals Strava Club page. Intramurals tracked participation and awarded prizes each week. Shout-out to the participants of this challenge!

Women’s Division participants: Anna Tomz, Caitlin Neher, Sarah, Crumrine, Sarah & Ketchley

Men’s Division participants: Viswa Virinchi Muppirala

Thanks to everyone who participated in Intramurals this quarter. We hope you had fun, stayed active, and enjoyed our challenges!

10 tips for staying motivated during the pandemic

By Recreation fitness manager Jeff Palmer

A photo of fitness manager Jeff Palmer — Jeff Palmer

Not motivated to exercise as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on? You’re not alone! Most of us are having trouble sticking with healthy habits right now. There’s less structure in our lives as in-person classes, work, and social events are cancelled or move online. And many of us are facing additional stress and anxiety due to social isolation, financial worries, or family/personal health concerns. All of this makes it hard to stay motivated.

Below you’ll find a list of tips to help you achieve your personal best. None of these tips are rocket science, but they serve as a great reminder of how to cope — and thrive — during these challenging times. See how many you can incorporate into your lifestyle!

Start your day with a plan or schedule. You’re more likely to exercise when it’s integrated into your everyday life, so you don’t have to think about it. Has your routine been disrupted during the pandemic? Take some time to thoughtfully create a new one.
Squeeze in shorter bouts of activity. Exercise doesn’t have to be long or grueling to be effective. We now understand that short bursts of exercise are beneficial, and often serve as motivation to exercise more. If you have a busy day, schedule in two ten or fifteen-minute workouts. Or make it a habit to do a round of push-ups while you wait for your chance to speak during that Zoom meeting! Look for other similar opportunities and turn them into habits!
Practice healthy and mindful eating. We all know that the food we put in our bodies influences how we feel – it keeps energy levels high, boosts the immune system, and enhances mood. Now might be a good time to meet with UW Recreation’s peer nutritionist (RDN) who will help develop a nutrition plan based on your needs and lifestyle. She’s also available for ongoing nutrition counseling and support. UW Rec’s own RDN specializes in the challenges facing college students in their quest for healthy eating and embraces a Health at Every Size-informed approach to nutrition counseling. (To sign up for customized nutrition services, go to UW Recreation’s Peer Nutrition Program,)
Be “social”. Studies show that having a fitness buddy makes you more likely to exercise consistently. Go for a bike ride with a friend or make a regular date to chat on the phone while each of you walks around your neighborhood. Want to meet new friends? UW Recreation is currently offering personal training (in-person for students and virtual for all) and group classes which can be done in-person or remotely so Huskies can work out together.
Notice how good exercise makes you feel. You’re much more likely to exercise regularly when you take a moment afterwards to focus on how good you feel. Observe how your energy has increased, pay attention to that feeling of accomplishment, and notice how your feelings of stress have dissipated. Remembering the positive impact that exercise has on you will motivate you to work out again tomorrow — and the next day, too!
Get enough sleep. Let’s face it, no one wants to exercise when they’re sleepy or exhausted. So get sufficient rest. We know your mother already told you that. Turns out, she was right!
Relax and recharge. Everyone needs some down time. Solitude, massage, a comedy podcast, a video game, or just doing nothing – what works for you? Now might be a good time to learn some new relaxation techniques: mindfulness, yoga, and meditation classes are offered through UW Recreation. Try one or all with our Rec Class Pass!
Reward yourself. Give yourself small rewards when you accomplish a task or goal – watch 10 minutes of cat videos after you finish that workout! Having something to look forward to makes it easier to stick to your exercise plan when you’re feeling a lack of motivation (or when you’re simply too tired to get started).
Prioritize your mental health. Are you down, anxious, or depressed more than occasionally? This can interfere with your motivation to exercise. UW’s Counseling Center offers students virtual counseling sessions and can link students to available resources 24/7.
Be okay when you falter. Some days are like that. There’s no value in beating yourself up because you didn’t adhere to your exercise plan – no one’s perfect. Just remind yourself of how good you feel when you do exercise, and re-commit to your next exercise session.

COVID-19 has forced everyone to make changes – like it or not. Staying motivated can be tricky, but you can make it easier for yourself by creating a realistic schedule and taking time to care for yourself. Though this pandemic feels endless, it will eventually come to an end. The motivation tips that you adopt now can lead to positive change for the rest of your life!

Fall 2020 Intramurals results

Congratulations to all our fall 2020 Intramurals participants! This quarter we had 128 teams (!) participate in both in-person and virtual Intramurals. Offerings included the Active Huskies 300 Minute Movement Challenge, Badminton League, Cornhole League, Home Run Derby, Self-Directed Duathlon, Soccer Skills Challenge, Step Counting Competition and Tennis League.

Though some options ended early due to COVID-19, most challenges were successfully completed. The winners and finalists of all the leagues are listed below, as well as some fun facts about the competitions! We were able to take some “champ” photos as well.

Registration for next quarter’s Intramurals will be coming soon, so please check out that page here:
https://www.imleagues.com/spa/intramural/2d52b2bf56a244a1b3d50738fa7fa3f0/home

COMPETITION RESULTS

A photo of Ramon Garza, fall 2020 cornhole champion — Ramon Garza, fall 2020 cornhole champ

Cornhole League

Four participants in the league.
The regular season consisted of 3 weeks. Teams played 2 games a night for a total of 6 games. Playoffs consisted of a single elimination bracket.
Cornhole league champion Ramon Garza never lost a game – he went 7-0 for the season.

Active Huskies Movement Challenge

Five participants completed the challenge.
The goal was to complete 300 minutes of movement for five out of seven weeks. It’s likely everyone completed the challenge.
Over the seven weeks, participants moved more than a combined15,072 minutes total!

Intramural Tennis League

- Was the largest league this term with 30 teams (46 participants total). We hosted four different leagues – Men’s Singles, Open Doubles, Women’s Singles, and Women’s Doubles.
- Teams played 3 regular season games. Playoffs consisted of a single elimination bracket. We were able to play quarterfinal and semifinal games but not the championship games.
- Here are the names of the co-champions.

A photo of Runsen Wu, fall 2020 badminton champ — Runsen Wu, fall 2020 badminton champ

Badminton League

Four participants in the league
Teams played 3 regular season games. Playoffs consisted of a single elimination bracket.
Runsen Wu won the league. He went 3-1 for the season.

Self-Directed Duathlon (November edition)

Nine participants completed their own self-directed duathlon.
In total, participants ran 320.64 miles with a time of 67:41:55. Total miles biked was 711.56 in a time of 60:04:30.

Division leaders:

o Men’s Division Leaders

Johnny Chau– 47.95 miles ran

Scott Healy– 133.18 miles biked

o Women’s Division Leaders

Sara Vasquez – 56.94 miles ran

Anna Tomz – 89.77 miles biked

Home Run Derby

For this special event, participants tested their hitting skills. They gained points depending on how far the softball traveled. Ground and foul balls do not count.

150ft. – 215 ft. = 1 point, 215 ft. – 260 ft. = 3 points, and 260 ft. or more = HOME RUN 5 points.

14 individuals participated in this event.

A photo of Andrew May, fall 2020 Home Run Derby winner — Andrew May, fall 2020 Home Run Derby champ

Soccer Skills Challenge

For this special event, participants tested their juggling, dribbling, and shooting soccer skills by performing a variety of drills (three total drills). A participant’s overall score was calculated by adding all three event scores.

Six individuals competed in this event.

A photo of Shoaib Laghari, soccer skills winner, fall 2020 — Shoaib Laghari, fall 2020 soccer skills champ

IMA Building, courts, and fields closed

The IMA Building and its nearby courts and fields – including Crags Indoor Climbing Center, IMA Pool, and outdoor Field # 1, Sand Volleyball Courts, and South Tennis Courts – will remain closed through the end of the year. This decision was made after clarification on Governor Inslee’s latest guidance.

Please continue to check UW Recreation’s website for updates as we look towards Winter Quarter and use the UW’s COVID-19 website to stay current. The Gear Garage will remain open for equipment rentals by appointment only. There are still virtual options available to students with the Rec Class Pass, Personal Training, or UWild Adventures.

There are a few outdoor spaces that remain open for drop-in recreation – Chase Anderson Basketball Court, Denny Field, grass Fields # 2 and # 4, and Husky Rock. Reminder to follow the outdoor sporting activity requirements when using these spaces, most importantly, wear a face covering at all times, participate in small groups only, and practice social distancing.

We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience while our staff works hard to re-open our facilities following all COVID-19 guidelines.

– University of Washington Recreation