While summer jobs and classes are sure to make lazy summer days more eventful, University Recreation provides students with a more enjoyable way to spend the vacation — University Student Recreational Complex’s summer leagues.Summer leagues — which are an extension of fall and spring intramurals — include softball, sand volleyball and 3-on-3 basketball. The leagues, available to eligible UREC members for the first time this summer, could start as early as Wednesday.”There’s still a rather large student population on campus … and in the Baton Rouge area looking for [summer] activities,” said Melissa Longino, University Recreation associate director of Recreational Services. “It’s a trend at a lot of other universities, and we were definitely lacking in that area, so it was of interest for [University Recreation] … to include summer leagues.”Those eligible for summer leagues include full-time and part-time students, as well as family members, visiting students, faculty and staff.”For summer, it’s a little different from normal,” said Matt Boyer, University Recreation associate director of Leagues and Tournaments. “We are offering summer leagues to anyone eligible for a membership to UREC. They don’t necessarily have to have a membership. They just have to be eligible to attain one.”The cost to participate in summer leagues is $150 for softball and $75 for sand volleyball and 3-on-3 basketball.”The price is established based on the number of competitions,” Longino said. “And actually, over the summer, we have the ability to play over a lot longer span. For example, during the regular school season most of our leagues are about four weeks long. During the summer … [players] are guaranteed a minimum of six games.”And while University students have long requested summer intramurals, most are unaware of the opportunity University Recreation has made available, Boyer said.Nick Raziano, sociology junior, said UREC’s decision to start summer leagues is a great opportunity for students.”It’s cool that [UREC] is offering summer intramurals,” Raziano said. “I know a lot of people who are active in sports over the summer … but they probably, like me, just haven’t heard about [summer leagues].”While Raziano believes summer leagues will eventually grow in popularity, he said University Recreation should make sure they advertise it to the students because most of them are unaware.”We know there are less students here during the summer,” Boyer said. “And also it’s the first year, so a lot of people aren’t going to know about it. We expect that this year … We knew it was going to be kind of a low season.”There were 127 teams for softball in the 2008-09 fall and spring semesters, and 32 and 31 teams for sand volleyball and basketball, respectively. The number of teams for summer leagues — 12 teams per sport — is extremely low in comparison, Boyer said. “A lot of people are used to playing with set teams,” Longino said. “Whether it’s a group of friends, a fraternity or sorority or residential life league — they’re used to playing with a specific group. So now that that group is kind of disbanded or disjointed over the summer … The larger sized leagues are having to work a little bit harder to find enough players.”But despite the turnout, University Recreation is optimistic for the summers to come.”Once we get this inaugural summer started, I think people will see the activities and get interested,” Longino said. “We’re very pleased to be able to expand this service and continue to grow the program.”—–Contact Natalie Roy at [email protected]