We’ve heard all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Clearly Jack did not go to Illinois State and see all the sports and activities our Quad has to offer.
Maybe you’re leaving high school sports behind, but that doesn’t mean you must surrender to the Freshman 15! The Quad is thriving with enough sports and activities to keep you all sorts of active. Let’s look at just a few:
BELEGARTH
Look out Socker Boppers: Belegarth is the final evolution of combat with foam weaponry. Belegarth lets you build your weapon or shield of choice and test your grit on the battlefield―or at least the Quad. For the sake of safety and immersion, there are certain rules that must be followed. If you’re looking to go a bit medieval, you can’t go wrong with Belegarth.
QUIDDITCH (FOR MUGGLES)
“Yer a wizard, Harry.” Quidditch at Illinois State gives even the muggliest of muggles a chance to grab a broom and catch a golden snitch for their house of choice! Yes, this wizardly art is alive and well at Illinois State. There’s even a traveling Quidditch team that challenges schools all around the Midwest.
SLACKLINE
What happens when you combine tightrope walking with yoga? Not sure, but it would probably be a lot like slacklining. Slacklining looks really simple. It’s just a flat rope strung between two trees, but actually being able to walk on it requires a crazy amount of balance. What some would consider frustrating is actually quite calming and addicting, as you’re able to stay on the line a few seconds longer each try. Just make sure to put some sort of padding between you and the trees to keep them safe. We love our trees here.
HOOPING
This is hula-hooping at the collegiate level. Hoopers don’t just use their hips to hula anymore; they use their arms, legs, necks, and really everything else you can imagine. I’ve even seen people hoop to music, creating an entirely choreographed and all around impressive show.
SPIKEBALL
In elementary school there was four-square, but now you’re an adult and it’s time to leave those childish games behind―and play Spikeball! Instead of a square you have a trampoline, and instead of a dodgeball you have a tiny volleyball-like … thing. You can spikeball in the grass, in the sand, and even in the snow if it tickles your fancy. Plus, a Spikeball set is fairly inexpensive and fits in a backpack, so you can spontaneously create a game anytime you want.
If you’re tempted to try one of these sports or activities, you can catch them all regularly on the Quad or even message them through their Facebook pages.
#BirdofMouth student blogger Tim Young is a senior public relations and information systems major. Read more #BirdofMouth posts.
