Three outdoor intramural sports have been canceled for this semester's spring season, leaving 800 students and intramural officials questioning the quality of student life at UB.
Flag football, soccer and the Saturday division of softball have all been canceled for the semester, after several weekends of rain and snow forced officials to call off games. Intramural participants blame the cancellations on the poor quality of the playing fields.
"I think in order for anything to be done, it has to be made into a quality of student life issue," said Ed Wright, coordinator of intramurals. "There is more at this university than what goes on in the classroom or on the varsity athletic field."
According to Wright, about 300 students on 22 football teams, 400 students on 24 soccer teams and 100 students on 18 softball teams will each be returned their $40 guarantee of appearance deposit.
"[The cancellations affect] students whose quality of life, I think, was strained primarily due to the fact that our fields are not maintained," said Wright.
Wright described intramurals as the "most exciting and most memorable" part of many undergraduates' college careers. Last year, there were 7,679 total intramural participants.
"Intramurals are a huge deal to a lot of the people who are involved in them," said sophomore media studies major Matt Jacobson, head official of softball, in an e-mail. "They talk about it all week, they talk about it all winter."
According to Bob Maxwell, director of athletic facilities and events, the "fields just got ripped apart," especially during the weekend of April 13, which saw 15 straight hours of rain.
"There has just been so much water on the fields. If you walk the fields now I think you'll agree they're just not ready to be played on," said Maxwell.
Some students do not agree that the season should be canceled regardless of weather conditions.
"I think it is unfair to cut them off from playing the game. They should have certain fields set aside for certain events," said psychology major Gabe Martinez, head official of football. "In prior years, rain, sleet or snow, people were out there playing on the fields. Everybody still wanted to show up every week. They still wanted to continue playing."
Maxwell said the cancellation was necessary for the ground to dry and to avoid further damage to the fields.
"By taking them offline for the last three weeks of this semester, we're guaranteeing they will be available next fall," said Maxwell.
Wright said UB's sports programs have outgrown Alumni Arena. He pointed to colleges like Kent State University, which has an indoor roller hockey and indoor soccer rink, as potential models for UB's intramural programs.
"I would like to see a designated intramural field and space with drainage and lights," said Wright.
Jacobson also believes the intramural program is in need of alternative facilities. "I thought maybe we could get in games in Alumni Arena, but I'm told that the gym is too small for softball and I also heard somewhere the balls would scuff up the gym floor," he said.
Head official for soccer Michael Landon, a junior management major, said he would also like to see more options for playing fields.
"I have gone to other schools and I've had a chance to see their facilities, indoor and outdoor," said Landon. "They have more outdoor facilities for those purposes."
Vice President for Student Affairs Dennis Black said an indoor facility could possibly be included as part of the Lee Road project. Black said the university is about to undertake a recreation study that will determine UB's needs for equipment and facilities.
Black said he believes the study, which will be completed in the fall, will reveal that the university needs improved outdoor facilities and possibly an indoor facility with carpet for soccer, lacrosse and other sports to be played all year round.
For this year's season, Black recommended the teams play at the Old Stadium on the artificial turf fields because "no one cares if they're wet or not." He suggested that the teams play modified games, if possible, by using half of the field for each game to make up the season.
"It sounds to me like we're going to have to make an investment to make sure we can use the fields both seasons next year," said Black. He said the issue of lighting has been brought up and that UB might have to "spend a few bucks."
