Students talk about sports beyond the university

By Steven Melendez/Staff Writer

As FIU students, we all know the various sports that FIU has to offer. However, there are also plenty of different ways to get involved in sports outside the campus as well.

Plenty of students around campus take advantage of these opportunities and enjoy the benefits that come from taking part in these activities. This can include recreational play or even hanging around with some friends to watch a big game.

“I mostly play basketball, but I also play a bit of ping pong, pool, football and soccer,” said Brian Pintado, senior majoring in biomedical engineering. “I like competition and the feeling of improvement. That’s my main drive when I do anything sports related.”

Exercise and competition are always present when playing sports and it’s a positive to always have that at least a little in your life. A sports events that offer this on a regular are recreational sports.

This is when an organization gets a league of any sport and makes a season out of it. Some students around campus enjoy these and talked a bit about it.

“I enjoy playing with my friends. They are all on the team with me, so it’s fun going out there with them,” said Tomas Colmenares, a junior majoring in physical education and fitness study. “I love soccer and the physical activity of the sport. The intramural league is also extremely organized and it make everything much more realistic.”

Colmenares has one goal and two assists so far, this season, and hopes to lead his team to a big year.

Another common way to get involved in sports is volunteering for different leagues whether as a coach or a referee. A student spoke about his experience as a coach for a little league and what benefits it brings him.

“I’ve been coaching basketball for a little while now, and I honestly love it,” said Myles Sires, a junior majoring in environmental science. “I coach kids around ten-years-old and it feels great teaching them everything I know. The biggest thing is that this experience helps me grow as a person.”

Students around campus definitely know how to take advantage of their time, and have a little fun with it too. Whether it’s just getting a little exercise, watching sports with some friends or getting involved in a league, sports can always be a part of your life.