Outreach provides fun for all

In an effort to provide the Bloomington area with more opportunities for physical fitness, the Recreational Sports Outreach Programs are working to supply families, disabled students and international students with facilities and accommodations for exercise.\n"Recreational sports are designed sports for everyone," said Rachel Britton, graduate assistant for Outreach Programs.\nFamily nights are one way Outreach Programs plan sports for everyone. The Outreach Programs sponsors Family Night the first Friday of each month. It's an evening where family can participate together. They run from 6:30 - 9 p.m. at the Student Recreational Sports Center and are free to the public. \nThere are an abundance of activities, including basketball, volleyball, swimming and a toddler room. The event is designed to bring families closer together, while providing children with exercise and teaching sportsmanship. \n"We try to provide an environment that provides fun and safety," Britton said. \nEvery month there is a different theme. November's theme is health and fitness. Volunteering at family night for senior Alison Jones usually means offering her services as a group exercise instructor and a dancer. She volunteered in the toddler room and led creative movement games with the children this month.\n"We had a blast," Jones said. \n"I usually volunteer in anything where my skills are needed." \nAlthough they have different themes, family nights struggle with attendance. \n"The average number of participants is somewhere between 150 and 200," Britton said. "We want more than 200." \nSeveral international students show up for family nights. \n"I enjoy working with many different crowds of people," Jones said. \nIn addition to family nights, there is a disability program. Through Partners in Recreational Sports (PAIRS), disabled people are paired with students from the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, who assist them in achieving greater participation in recreational sports. \nBut participation is down in the program and changes are being made to try and infuse the program.\n"We try and fit the needs of the participants," Britton said. \nThe SRSC is fully handicap accessible while the HPER building is mostly handicap accessible, except for the weight room. The lower level south entrance and north entrance of the SRSC are equipped with a power-assisted door. \nRecreational Sports also caters to the needs of international students. There is World Sports Day on Saturday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., where sports are used as a common language to unite students from different cultures by participating in a friendly environment.\n"The University is always striving for a more diverse student population," graduate student Emily Ward, assistant director for Outreach Programs, said. "They enjoy the opportunity to come together with peers in sports they enjoy."\nIt also promotes healthy competition. \n"It makes it so there are competitive rivalries between cultures," Ward said. "We need to understand that international students are different. They sometimes only want to play a sport on one day, not for six weeks, like an intramural sport."\nThe Adaptive Aquatics program is no longer in use because the instructor, Rita Costa, graduated. They are seeking a qualified instructor for the position. \nThere are also several volunteer possibilities. \n"We desperately need more volunteers," Britton said. "All Outreach Programs run on volunteering." \n"Volunteering makes me feel like I am helping the overall wellness of the community and reach people that otherwise would not become involved in our activities," Jones said. "I enjoy volunteering because it helps me to become more involved in the community and discover its needs. When I am able to either make myself feel good or give back to the community, it is very satisfying"