ATHLETES STAY ACTIVE ON CAMPUS

ALEX ECONOMOS, TRUMPET SPORTS WRITER

One of the more popular answers to how to stay active in college is to play intramurals. Intramural sports are very popular among college students, even during their tenure as college athletes. Not every student has the opportunity to play organized football or volleyball, and intramurals provide the option to try something new.

While intramurals may be fun, the competitive nature also aids students in staying active.

“I love playing intramurals,” Riley Close ’20, a four-year member of the Wartburg Men’s Soccer team, said. “I play intramural soccer right now, I play intramural basketball, I play a lot of pickup basketball too. I have been added to some summer league teams back in Des Moines to play pick up soccer. When I’m back home, I go to the gym regularly to run and lift too.”

Staying active looks different for everyone. Nathan Feiner ’20, another ex-soccer player for the men’s team, took a different approach.

“I have to continue to be active because I’m coaching the men and women’s soccer teams for strength and conditioning, so if I were to play that role, it’s not really a role I can kind of sit back,” Feiner said. “My brother is also an avid lifter as well. He’s even bigger than I am so for me, I have to keep up with him because he’s been going a lot.”

Feiner sees helping out with the soccer teams’ strength and conditioning programs as a great opportunity to not only stay in shape, but get coaching experience.

“I can see myself furthering this role, but at the same time, I feel like it’s more or less a glimpse of a piece of what I aspire to be,” Feiner said. “I don’t want this to be my only job, but I feel like this is something I can do on the side.”

Seth Roberson ’02, an assistant track and field coach, has seen other approaches to staying active. Roberson works with the throwers, but also does the strength and conditioning for the entire track team.

“I’ve had many athletes go into lifting type competitions,” Roberson said. “I’ve had athletes go pick up running, whether they’re running road races or whatever it is from there. Some just try to get involved with fitness classes, things like that, or rec league sports.”

Roberson was a member of the football and track teams during his time at Wartburg. This is his first year back at in Waverly after spending 14 years coaching at another school. He now has another opportunity to contribute to the Wartburg athletic programs.

Active lifestyles on campus look different for everyone, whether it’s intramural sports, fitness class, or simply going on a run, staying active is important for everyone.

For more information about staying active while in college, go to wartburg. edu/the-w/.