In a society that’s heavier than ever, students remain as busy as ever, so it’s up to colleges to figure out how to make physical activity an integral part of campus life. A few decades ago, most recreation programs consisted of intramural sports teams, a pool and a weight room. But from a survey of area schools, it’s clear they’ve graduated to gleaming fitness facilities, group exercise schedules and even climbing walls.
There’s a 55-foot-tall one standing outside the University of Maryland’s Eppley Recreation Center. “It’s another option that’s valuable and a different experience,” says Mike Phaneuf, assistant director of the challenge course program. Students looking for outdoor education can take trips across the region to go kayaking and hiking, or they can ride to the student-staffed bike shop, which will fix their wheels (and teach them how to do it themselves) for free.
Or they can always go inside the 230,000-square-foot facility packed with every traditional kind of cardio and weight machine, multiple pools, racquetball and squash courts and a table tennis room.
At George Mason University, there has also been a push to expand offerings in recent years. That now includes a marial arts program with classes in Krav Maga, an Israeli self-defense system, and Brazilian jiujitsu, as well as Walking Wednesday, a group stroll around campus that meets at the clock tower at noon.
“We have a number of people we have to serve,” says Ethan Carter, the school’s director of fitness. “This is a buffet that’s good for everyone.”
‘This is a recruiting tool’
Offering facilities and services costs money, but for the most part, students use them for free (not counting tuition, of course). The exceptions are specialized group exercise classes and personal training, which usually come with a nominal fee. “If you pay for something, you’ll do it,” says Kelly Oddy, assistant director for recreational sports and fitness at American University, which charges $65 per semester for a group exercise class pass.
And when they do it, they see results, school fitness directors say. The goal isn’t to force the entire student body to become jocks, but to get the benefits of healthier living. “They feel good,” Carter says. “They bring a better attitude to the classroom.”
Student satisfaction numbers have soared at Johns Hopkins University since the O’Connor Recreation Center opened in 2002, vastly increasing activity outlets for students.
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