Fall intramurals wrapped up the week before Thanksgiving, and University Recreation is already looking toward the spring season of intramurals.”Everything is winding down,” said Todd Smith, graduate assistant for leagues and tournaments. “We are going to start planning for sports next semester.”The fall intramural season began Sept. 7 and students were able to compete in 3-on-3 basketball, flag football, sand volleyball, soccer, racquetball, tennis and soccer.The season got off to a rainy start, as several soccer games were postponed. Some teams had to play doubleheaders to catch up.Matt Boyer, assistant director for leagues and tournaments, said over 100 makeup games were played this season because of rain.New this year was a shakeup in the playoff picture. This was the first season every team in all sports made the playoffs, regardless of record.”By taking all teams into the playoffs, our hopes are to reach out to the more recreational players and get them involved,” Boyer said.For soccer, Boyer said each team played three regular season games instead of four, with the fourth game designated as the first playoff game.Also new this year was the addition of a pink treadmill to the University Student Recreational Complex. The treadmill not only encouraged students to get active but donated 10 cents to the Breast Cancer Research foundation for every mile jogged during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness month.A “Victory Walk” was held Oct. 16, with all proceeds donated to the Susan. G Komen affiliate in Baton Rouge.University Recreation got into the Homecoming spirit this year. A different kind of competition was offered during Homecoming week.A new event happening each day of the week. The “Grid Iron Challenge,” a 3-on-3 flag football was offered, along with a punt-pass-and-kick competition, and dodgeball and sand volleyball tournaments.The Grid Iron Challenge consisted of both a men’s and women’s division. The winners went to Atlanta to compete against teams from other Southeastern Conference schools at the SEC Football Fanfare on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5.The team of Kristy Lewis, Heather Hopkins, Chermaine Cole and Ellie McElroy won the women’s division. The team of Vince Morella, Timothy McGibboney, Matthew Westfall and John Luke Rogers won the men’s division.All eight winners received tickets to the SEC championship game, held Dec. 5.Boyer said the competition was good for Homecoming week because it was a matter of school pride to have the winners of the Grid Iron Challenge represent their school.Another flag football team representing LSU was the team Loose Cannons, who went to the West Florida Regional Flag Football Championship in Pensacola, Fla. Competing against 20 teams, the Loose Cannons eventually fell to Troy, 26-27, in bracket play.Spring registration for indoor basketball, 4-on-4 flag football, team tennis, team table tennis, racquetball singles and 7-a-side soccer will begin today [DISCLAIMER: THIS MEANS MONDAY, DEC. 7 — THE DAY THIS ISSUE IS PRINTED] and end Jan. 20.Boyer said spring sport registration begins earlier this year because of the semester starting after the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.”It’s a quick turnaround, but we’re trying to get the word out early this semester,” Boyer said.The new season will begin Jan. 24 for basketball and Feb. 1 for the other sports. 
—-Contact Katherine Terrell at [email protected]