Rec Sports reinstates intramural swim meet

Thirty-three swimmers turned out for the first intramural swim meet since 1997 Saturday at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center in the Student Recreational Sports Center.\nThis event used to take place annually, but because of lack of participation, RecSports cut the event. But this year, the intramural swim meet is back by popular demand, said Assistant Director for Intramurals Josh Downing.\n"We used to have this event all the time," Downing said. "'97 was the last time we had it as an intramural event. We stopped it due to lack of participation, but last year, a group of students came to our intramural sports council and recommended we do this. Then the intramural sports council came to us and said, 'Hey, we should do this,' so that is how this event came about today."\nIU's non-varsity swimming population welcomed back the intramural swim meet with open arms\nMost of the participants were former high school swimmers who saw this event as the perfect opportunity to get back in the pool to see if they've still got it.\n"I think (bringing back the intramural swim meet) is a great idea," junior Jesse Rodgers said. "There are a lot of ex-swimmers here, a lot of high school swimmers that used to do it back in the day. I think it's a fun thing for all of us to come back here and try to see what we can do after all those years of taking a break."\nFor the night, former swimmers were once again champions in their respected events.\nGraduate student Mike Porter won the men's 50-meter butterfly.\n"I'm glad it's over. No, it was just a lot of fun," Porter said. "I had a good time doing it, and there was little competition, but it was fun."\nThe little competition was due to lack of competitors, something of which some swimmers wished there was more, along with better organization.\nIn some events, there was only one person swimming.\n"There's not quite enough people here," senior Suzanne Foy said. "(The meet) is kind of unorganized, but yes, (RecSports is) doing a great job overall." \nStill, many aspects of the event pleased graduate assistant for RecSports Shauna Robbins, including the professional atmosphere that was created with the use of the competitive swimming equipment, a real official, the dedication of the participants and the large number of spectators.\n"(The meet) went very smoothly, and I wish we would have had more people. But everyone who participated had a chance to win a prize, so I think they liked that," Robbins said. "We had a lot of spectators. We counted out at one point over 50 people watching. That's more people than we had participating."\nRobbins believes more marketing of the event next year will bring in more swimmers and make the event more fun for everyone.\n-- Contact staff writer John Fischer at jbfische@indiana.edu.