Suffolk Intramurals Hope to Come Back In-Person

With the mask mandate being lifted intramurals looking to get back to in person activities

Riley Zalbert

The Brookhaven Gymnasium on March 2, 2022. Intramurals take place here and students that attend on campus are able to participate in the various activities they offer: basketball, volleyball, badminton, etc.

Riley Zalbert, Staff Writer

With Covid-19 rates plummeting as winter turns to spring, New York has implemented new masking measures across the state. Sports and other activities saw an initial shutdown that lasted for most of spring and fall of 2020 as the state and nation went into lockdowns to curb the spread of this disease. 

Intramurals are still on hiatus at all campuses but with the mandate being lifted, the program might be returning to in-person activities.

Suffolk has soccer, volleyball, basketball, badminton, and dodgeball with other non-traditional options such as cornhole and spikeball tournaments that may happen this fall. Logistics with each activity has become difficult as the college’s Common Hour was rescinded.

Intramural groups are optimistic that they will be able to meet in-person next semester in the fall and possibly an outdoor event planned for this semester.

 “Our main focus is getting a plan back in place for a full program for the fall semester, and weather permitting we are hoping to run an outdoor event sometime in April or May,” said Kerry Swanson, the assistant Director of Athletics and coach for the campus Equestrian team.    

Suffolk offers students the ability to play for the school’s esports program, which took place of the traditional intramurals as clubs moved to online modes during Covid-19. The program has since blossomed to over 80 members across 5 games including Overwatch, Valorant, Rocket League (3v3), Super Smash Bros Ultimate, and Guilty Gear Strike.

Suffolk plays in the SUNY Esports league with over 50 colleges from across the state and a different number of games are offered such as Call of Duty, Halo, and Rainbow Six Siege.