What’s more fun… Playing Intramurals, or Officiating them?

Article by Bailey McCaffrey

The debate is out… Is it more fun to play an Intramural sport, or to officiate one? Both working and playing in this department builds genuine community, encourages physical activity, and increases the competitive desire to be the best you can be. The IM program offers for more than what is seen on the field, the court, or in the pool.

 

Jack Varuska is a current employee in this department officiating flag football, soccer, and basketball. His expertise in Intramural Sports provides insight on why working for this program is a positive experience and how it provides numerous opportunities for employees.

 

Varuska is a third year at Colorado State University and began working for this department in January. Over the last four months, he has been influenced by the inclusivity and the positivity of other officials.

 

The Intramural staff engages Campus Recreation members in a way that promotes fairness, inclusivity, and fun. They also keep players safe and allow for a structured and recreational way to stay active.

 

There are close to 30 different Intramural Sports offered at Campus Recreation. Each one needs willing and passionate referees to run smoothly. Whether you’re Interested in soccer, softball, football, bench press competitions, tube water polo, spikeball tournaments, or the many other sports available, each is made possible by our amazing Intramural employees.

 

Varuska’s favorite memory since joining the program was officiating the championship basketball game. “The high level play and the intensity of the game made everyone working want to make the best calls they could.” says Varuska. He officiated this game alongside three other employees, Jack, Ben, and Cam, who made the game enjoyable through laughter and encouragement to one another.

 

If you are interested in joining this community of referees, Campus Recreation Intramural is hiring; please contact Matt McCarthy (Coordinator, Intramural Sports) matt.mccarthy@colostate.edu for more information about becoming an official. No previous experience is required, because training for each sport is done before the start of each season. Varuska and the rest of the department encourage anyone who is passionate about sports, enjoy physical activity, and has the willingness to learn to apply for an official position. Positions open for hire are posted on RamWeb through your student account.

 

Thank you to every IM ref for what you do for our department. All of your hard work is needed and appreciated.

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Atypical: ¡Vamos Outdoors!

Article by Bailey Mccaffrey

A·typ·i·cal
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adjective
Not representative of a type, group, or class.

Campus Recreation has endless possibilities for every member, so why can it be hard to find your place here?

When you walk into our Recreation center, where do you go? The basketball court, the rock wall, a fitness class, the weight room? The possibilities are endless here, yet it is easy to feel out of place, or boxed in

Atypical stories are important to share because they pave the way for diversity and counter the dominant narratives. When we tell stories that are more inclusive, we begin to create an overall more welcoming atmosphere for everyone participating in Campus Recreation. It is time we celebrate people who expand their comfort zone and experience new areas at Campus Recreation

The ¡Vamos Outdoors! program at CSU Campus recreation reminds us, no matter what race you identify as, the mountains are Calling you, too.

In the Fall of 2017, Aileen Palma started this program to encourage people of Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx heritage to join the outdoor recreation movement and take to the mountains. On these trips, participants learn new outdoor skills, build relationships, and are pushed outside their comfort zones.

¡Vamos Outdoors!, has been to the sand dunes, camped, hiked, and snowshoed in Rocky Mountain National Park this year. To even further expand their outdoor abilities, the group is headed to Horsetooth reservoir to rock climb on April 15. Each trip allows participants to challenge themselves, and people of all different experience levels are encouraged to get involved.

The vision behind ¡Vamos Outdoors! is to invite people with Latinx heritage into a space of community where identities can be celebrated and deep relationships can be created through the environment and recreation

“I want this to be a good opportunity for any level of outdoor enthusiast. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or an expert, this is a great chance to meet people from the same background and connect deeper through the outdoors,” states Palma.

If you identify as a Latinx individual and have an interest in the outdoors, trips are open and you are encouraged to join. Contact Aileen Palma with the Outdoor Program at CSU Campus Recreation for more information. Or visit our website trip details HERE.

Thank you for all you are doing to break, “norms,” at our recreation center Aileen, Jovan, and all other participants!

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Meet the Staff: Maria Camargo

Sport Clubs Intern

By Bailey McCaffrey

Maria Camargo took the Rec’ing Ram by the horns when she started an internship at CSU Campus Recreation eight short weeks ago. In this time, she has positively influenced both student and professional staff in the Sport Clubs program. Her humility, adaptability, and dedication will only be spread further through the facility during her influential time here

Maria is finishing her graduate degree in Sports Management at Western Illinois University, and in the fall of 2017, was in need of an internship as her final graduation requirement. Colorado was at the top of the list for places she wanted to live, so she reached out to Cindy Tse, the Assistant Director of Sport Clubs at CSU. Cindy wanted an extra hand and Maria seemed like the perfect fit for the program. With her previous experience at Western Illinois University and James Madison University, plus her excitement for all things recreation, the position was created for her.

“Working at Colorado State Recreation has been a incredible learning experience,” stated Maria. She enjoys the Sport Clubs department because of the opportunity to work with dedicated athletes and student staff. The program is extremely competitive, which makes her efforts worth it to see teams succeed. The staff is also passionate, which makes for an overwhelmingly positive work environment.

Maria has also been largely impacted by the inclusivity that CSU Campus Recreation encompasses. Stepping into a large department can be intimidating, but as Maria explained, the welcoming atmosphere of the program made it easy to step into. She says she still has a lot to learn from the people she works along side, and is appreciative to be in a department that is passionate about inclusion and community involvement.

Maria will receive her degree in Sports Management this May, from the University of Northern Illinois. Campus Recreation is excited to have her for the remainder of the semester and to see the progress she makes during her time here. Cindy Tse, Maria’s supervisor, says, “Maria has taken on leadership roles in mentoring student staff and Sport Club officers while actively service on three department and two campus-wide committees. Maria brings a vibrant energy, new ideas, and a strong aptitude for learning that complements our student and professional staff culture well.”

Thanks for all you do at Campus Recreation, Maira!

 

 

 

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Cam the Ram’s Spring Break Plans

Article by Bailey McCaffrey

Cam the Ram is always out doing new things and living life to the fullest. Campus Recreation was curious about what he does while everyone is gone during time off from school, so we decided to get down to the bottom of it. We had the pleasure of hearing from Cam directly about his plans for this break.

What do you have planned for this break?

Cam: This break is jam packed with fun activities, but I will also be taking some, “Cam time,” to relax and give myself a break. On Friday, I am leaving by bus, (rams are not allowed on planes), to travel to Big Sky Montana. I have plans to go skiing for just two days with some of my best friends. I am chasing the pow there, trying to get some fresh turns. It should be a good time. I am most excited to catch up with old companions.

On Monday I head to Wyoming to visit my Great Aunt Martha. It has been too long since I checked on her and the farm. She says all is well, and I cannot wait to eat a piece of her world famous seed and grass pie! My cousins will also be coming into town, the gang will all be back together and things could get rowdy.

The remainder of the break I will be hanging around Fort Collins. Long hikes around horsetooth, reading a good book, and chilling in a coffee shop, (Starry Night is my favorite), sounds exactly what I need right now. I got a bicycle for Christmas from my grandmother, and I cannot wait to take it for a spin up the Poudre! I will be hanging around Campus Recreation too. Nothing like a long swim and a good sit in the hot tub to bring in the nice weather. I am getting into climbing too, so will probably spend some time sending it at the rock wall. I’m hoping to meet some new faces along the way. If any of these sound like a good time to you or if you have any other good ideas, hmu!

Is this a normal break for you?

Cam: Honestly, I love spending time in the sunshine and I am a big fan of the beach. In the past have spent time in the sand and riding some waves. But this break is exactly what I need. I like to switch it up from time to time. From backpacking in South America to European travels, there is alway something new for me to take part in.

What are you looking forward to most?

Cam: My travels are fun, but nothing beats the feeling of seeing all my Rams come home from break and settled back in on campus. I love the energy they bring to Fort Collins, and it just doesn’t feel like home without them!

 

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An Outdoor Program Trip with High Hopes

Article by Bailey McCaffrey

What would you do if you lost feeling in your feet, climbing 19,600′ above sea level in the Ecuadorian Andes, with only 1,000 to the peak? This past January, a student from Colorado State University was posed with this challenge, as he attempted to summit a volcano over 20,000’ tall. Maclean Freund was on an international trip with CSU Campus Recreation’s Outdoor Program, with eight other students and two trip leaders by his side. Richard Salas was Freund’s ropes partner throughout the journey, and also attends CSU. Salas decided he would do whatever it took to get Freund to the top. Salas volunteered his stomach, the only warm place within miles, for Freund to thaw his frozen toes on. The duo peaked the volcano among the other nine team members. At the top they stood closer to the sun than any other point on the earth. 

The Outdoor Program left Colorado on the 2nd of January and landed in Quito, Ecuador, with high hopes of summiting not one, but two South American volcanoes, Cayambe, peaking at 18,996′, and Chimborazo, peaking at 20,564′. Their dreams came true only eight days later, after successfully standing on top of the second peak. 

So, What Did it Take?

Planning

Andy Nelson and Rodney Ley are the Coordinator and Assistant Director for the Outdoor Program and took the lead of this fourteen-day excursion through Ecuador. A year and a half in the making led to a worthwhile reality. After careful consideration of high altitude volcanoes, accessible mountain peaks, welcoming culture, capability, and challenge, the two landed on Ecuador as the destination of choice.

Cayambe and Chimborazo were picked as the perfect adventure, with accommodations such as huts to basecamp and seasoned guides to help lead the way, and challenges including the unknown terrain behind every switchback. The logistics came together as the team began to obtain the necessary equipment and built their vision of what the trip would become.

Training

The team began training in the fall of 2017 by climbing and hiking at high altitudes, maintaining good health, and preparing themselves mentally for the long trek ahead. Grant Williams, one of the students who attended the trip states, “Mountaineering is 99% a mind game. Fighting the thoughts of failure was the hardest part.” Training your mind is certainly a difficult task, but every person on the trip was able to fight the internal battle and be confident in their own ability to make it to the top. Nelson wasn’t surprised when the team successfully summited both volcanoes, especially with how strong each person was coming into the adventure.
 

The Grit of the Journey

The eleven students landed in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. In their first few days, the group stayed at one of the oldest haciendas in the region and experienced the beautiful taste of the Ecuadorian culture. They began acclimating for the hikes, starting with multiple shorter hikes, at 13,000’ and 15,000’. Soon it was time to push their limits. They got to the base of Cayambe, a volcano in the Cordillera Central Range. They began the summit at 1:00 a.m., pushing through thick fog and snow. The team conquered Cayambe at 7:00 a.m., proud of themselves and the rest of their team. In celebration, they marched down knowing they had another volcano to summit in only a few short days.

Chimborazo was the larger of the two volcanos, and would bring its own challenges. The Outdoor Program stayed in the Carrell Hut, located on the volcano at 15,000′. They began their ascent at 11:00 p.m. with a long night of ice climbing and deep snow hiking ahead. Counting their steps up the mountain, they were able to keep their minds from wandering off. The entire team summited the mountain at 7:00 a.m. on January 10th. With cold hands and feet, they stumbled to the peak with enough joy to not care as their tears froze on their faces.

Team members agree that the success wouldn’t have been possible without the unending support and encouragement of their teammates. If you are interested in high altitude mountaineering like the students brave enough take on this challenge, then the Outdoor Program is a great way to start. Get familiar with the outdoors through backcountry skiing trips, climbing clinics, and other hiking events led by the Outdoor Program student leaders. Who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself on top of the world. 

Congratulations to each member who achieved greatness on this journey, pushed the limits, and hiked away with an experience of a lifetime.

 

Ecuador Trip 2018

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