Running toward the
soaring ball, her sneakers squeak, the team cheers, and she leaps, preparing to
make the perfect hit.
Her arm whooshes
toward the ball, pulse pounding, and she misses completely.
The ball bounces
off her shoulder as she falls.
Sitting on the
ground, tears roll down her cheeks; not tears of sadness, but of laughter. Her team is still cheering-and laughing.
Yes, this is high
school volleyball, but without the fierce competition and tension.
With the addition
of Gym teacher Ms. Beth Swift, Marian commenced again in an intramurals
program. When hired, swift was
commissioned to begin the program and keep it going throughout the year,
because the administration saw the desire for the program.
The intramurals
opportunities will change each season, as the varsity sports change. Currently, the fall sport, volleyball, is
all ready under way, with basketball following in the winter. Swift is unsure what the sport will be for
the spring season.
Tennis, soccer,
Frisbee are some of the sports being considered.
All students can
sign up before each season. Volleyball
costs five dollars, and the other two seasons will cost approximately the same
amount.
Once the deadline
has passed, Swift randomly generates teams.
All games are on Sunday afternoons, and there ate no mandatory organized
practices.
On September 14,
volleyball season began with an organizational meeting, at which the 60 players
met with Swift. She went over the
rules, put them into teams, and gave out schedules for the ten times.
Intramurals has
been tried before, but have come to an early ending. Two years ago, Ms. Janata coached basketball for intramurals, but
people didn’t show up for numerous reasons.
They kept having to forfeit the games.