Everyone has a chance to compete or just play for fun at VSU!
VSU has a very active intramural sports program, as well as numerous leisure activities open to all current students, faculty and staff.
The intramural sports program is led by Coaches Samuel Rivers and DeAndrea Neal and includes fall team sports like basketball, flag and powder puff football, and soccer in the spring. The coaches are also trying to organize a dodge ball league this year.
Also popular are a USA Tennis league led by Wayne Gee, and aerobics, martial arts and self-defense classes offered in the fitness center at Foster Hall.
“Intramurals are a great stress release for students,” said Rivers, not to mention the health benefits. The sports are open to those of all fitness levels, and require no tryouts.
This is also “an avenue for those not making the university teams to still have a chance to be competitive,” said Neal.
Some of the intramural teams not only compete with other teams here at VSU, but also extramurally with teams from other colleges and universities. The soccer league competes with the University of Richmond each year, for example, and the tennis players compete at the district, regional and national level.
Besides the organized sports leagues, many indoor games are also offered for students in the Game Room at Foster Hall. These include ping pong, pocket billiards, chess and checkers, card tournaments and video games like PlayStation, Xbox and Wii. Outdoors, there is also a horseshoe pit, and in the gym, recreational swimming.
The University recognizes that these useful, fun, shared experiences not only promote health, but can help create strong bonds among students, faculty, alumni and the university community at large. VSU is committed to fostering the spirit of involvement and fellowship that these athletic and extracurricular activities can develop.
About the Coaches:
Coach Neal, a former football standout at VSU who tried out for the Atlanta Falcons, first came to VSU as a student in 1986, and has been coaching at the University since 1991.
Coach Rivers came to VSU in 1997 and worked with the campus police. He then worked with Residence Life before joining the Department of Student Activities in 2005.
Volunteer Opportunities for Students:
The coaches in intramural sports rely heavily on student helpers for many aspects of the intramural sports program, including help with scorekeeping, set up and clean up. Please contact Coach Rivers if you’d be interested in volunteering. He can be reached at srivers@vsu.edu or (804) 524-5645.
