IM: a little Tyng and a lot of fun for everyone

By Albert Chen

Rivalries. Traditions. Dynasties.

With over 2,500 participants in over 30 different sports, intramurals at Yale lie at the heart of residential college spirit. Looking for a nice leisurely match of billiards? Or calling for the rock with three seconds left and the hoops championship on the line? From starting high school soccer players to Nintendo addicts who could only dream of making an over-the-shoulder grab on the warning track, IMs are for everyone.

All intramural matches pit one college against another. "A good indicator of a college's spirit is the vibrancy of its intramural program," Andrew Gurman, BK '98, said. Gurman will return as one of Berkeley's intramural secretaries this fall. "In IMs, a vast number of members of each college strive toward a common goal, which serves to make the individual colleges more cohesive."

Colleges accumulate points for victories in any IM competition, and the one with the most points at the end of the season is awarded the coveted Tyng Cup. Points are determined by the number of players that participate in each sport. For example, a basketball match is worth five points since basketball is a five-man sport. This year's Cup went to Timothy Dwight after they fended off a late season run for the title staged by resilient Berkeleyites.

Intramural participation opens up great opportunities to meet other people in your college, especially upperclassmen whom you normally wouldn't have a chance to get to know. What better way to make friends than tossing them a touchdown pass or setting them up for a spike?

The intramural scene has brought out intense rivalries and some classic moments. In a crucial period during the season that propelled Berkeley College into serious contention for the Tyng, the table tennis championship was decided by a mixed doubles match that saw the Saybrook duo squander five match points, only to lose to its Berkeley foes in a controversial three game nailbiter.

The battlegrounds, for the most part, are located off-campus, on fields outside the Yale Bowl. A shuttle bus makes frequent trips to the fields from Payne Whitney Gymnasium. While it is quite a distance and sometimes a hassle to make the trek, the fields often make for a nice break from the noise of the city or the silence of the library. Winter sports take place at Payne Whitney.

The IM season commences in the fall, usually after a week or two of classes. The featured sports include men's and co-ed touch football, men's and women's soccer, co-ed golf, lawn volleyball, tennis, cross country running, and table tennis.

In the winter, IMers head to the the friendly confines of Payne Whitney. On tap for the players are men's and women's volleyball, squash, inner-tube waterpolo, co-ed swimming, and basketball. Basketball usually raises the most interest. The men's division is split up into three levels of competition, and the hoops games can get very intense. Also offered in the winter are bowling and co-ed ice hockey, which is played at Ingalls Rink, known to most Yalies as "The Whale." IM fever catches on with administrators too; Silliman Dean Hugh Flick has been known to join students on the ice for IM hockey match-ups.

When the snow melts away and the grass is green again, it's time to head back out to the fields for the spring season. Spring sports include men's baseball, men's and co-ed softball, women's field hockey, ultimate frisbee, golf, billiards, soccer, racquetball, and crew.

Stats and highlights from the fields and the courts are featured weekly in the Herald intramural section. And it is not uncommon for a college to select an IM "Athlete of the Week" in its weekly newsletters.

"A successful IM program requires a large number of individuals from a college who are dedicated enough to get involved in sports on a consistent basis," added Gurman, who captained his college's championship table tennis and squash squads this past season. More than anything, IMs provide a fun opportunity to build college spirit and inter-college rivalry. So when you're packing, don't forget to bring the mitt that you haven't touched since Little League. Your college needs you!

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