HPER, SRSC empty out during summer months

As the fall semester approaches, summer brings about many last-ditch efforts to accomplish things before beginning a new school year. For many, the final goal of the summer is to return to school in the best shape possible.\nIn Bloomington, numbers are always down during the summer months at both the Student Recreational Sports Center and the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation workout facilities. \nEmily Ward, program director for aquatics, informal sports and equipment operations at the SRSC, said during June and July there are no peak times for the HPER weight room. Ward said the SRSC weight room and basketball courts show a peak between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., but they never reach capacity during the summer.\n“Overall, I think you are safe to say that anytime in summer is non-peak compared to fall semester usage,” Ward said.\nThe two facilities combined have two strength and conditioning areas, 17 racquetball courts, 16 outdoor tennis courts, 15 basketball courts, two running tracks, six multipurpose gyms and two pools.\nSenior Teddy Johnson, who frequently visits the SRSC to play basketball and lift weights, said during the school year it can be hard to get in a good workout with all the people in the gym at any given time. Johnson said he finds it easier to get things accomplished during the summer. \n“It’s a better time to work out,” he said. \nHe also noted that during the summer, many people work out alone, unlike during school when people come to work out in groups. \nKathy Bayles, director of recreational campus sports, said both facilities are pretty empty throughout the summer break. Numbers drop significantly in the summer, allowing for many more newcomers to get in the groove of their own workout routines. Bayles said most of the summer traffic in the SRSC is incoming freshmen getting their “sneak peaks” of the facility during orientation. \nBayles said the traffic at the SRSC is heavier than at the HPER, during school year and summer. Senior Sarah Bishop agreed.\n“It’s usually pretty dead around here,” Bishop said as she sat in the HPER gymnasium.\nBishop has worked at both the HPER and SRSC for three years. She said that during the summer months, weekly participation won’t be as high as it would be during the school year. She said although attendance at both gyms is low in the summer, peak hours for the SRSC and HPER are between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.\nThe summer weather encourages some runners to run outside instead of around the track in the HPER or SRSC, also causing for lower numbers during the summer. \nSenior Daniel Maron said he lifts weights at the SRSC twice a week. \n“If I wanted to run, I’d go to the park,” he said after just having left the SRSC from a workout in which he was alone.