By Jayda Griffin
The Scene staff
Want to get some exercise after a slow day of classes?
Four students have come together to form a new club called Forest Park Intramural Sports. They’re inviting others to join.
They believe the club will offer more stability to campus life.
“Our goal is to give students a reason to come to school,” said the club’s president, Jacques Boyd, 26, a general transfer studies major. “If a student cannot join a sports team here on campus, this club gives them another opportunity to join a team.”
The organizers plan to start with basketball and eventually expand into soccer, dodgeball and other sports.
At one point, they were talking about holding a dodgeball game between Forest Park students and employees.
“I’m excited about the club,” said organizer Barikome “Koko” Alapbe, a general transfer studies major who hopes to become a sports broadcaster someday. “I’m always in the mood to play basketball.”
Kirk Martin, athletic facilities supervisor at Forest Park, wasn’t aware of the new club when The Scene contacted him last week. But he said organizers needed only call him to get permission to use the campus gym.
St. Louis Community College Athletic Director Sharon Marquardt also reacted positively.
“I welcome the opportunity for students within the college community to participate in an athletic intramural team,” she said. The other two club organizers are Jay Merrit, 19, and general transfer studies major Markell Tompkins, 24, who also is a reporter and photographer for The Scene.
The organizers began talking about forming an intramural sports club this fall because they weren’t taking physical education classes with gym access.
They hope to expand to 30 members by next spring.
Times and dates of club meetings haven’t been finalized, but the organizers plan to meet on Thursdays or Fridays in the physical education building.
Students can sign up in the TRiO Student Support Services office in Student Center Room 221.