on the court, the track, the beach?!

On the court, the track, the field/
Silliman our alma mater, Silliman beside the sea…

Loud and shrilly cheers have resounded. Colorful banners have proudly kissed the air. But now, we’re just keeping our sporty get-ups somewhere to later remember both the glorious and the not-so-glorious memories of (what else?) the intramurals.

Coined from the words intra “within” and murals “wall,” the downright acceptable meaning of intramurals is “within the walls.” The early days of intramurals started in the Armed Forces of the United States in the 1800s only as part of their training. They held this to further enhance the camaraderie between units. From there, the concept spread all over the world with its intent of promoting sportsmanship, friendship, and fair competition. And not only that, it brings good physical development for everyone who participated.

And here in this university, the intramurals in Silliman had indeed gone a long way to be what it is right now. Swimming was just even held in the boulevard in the 1960s!

In a tWS December 1, 2005 issue, former PE Athletic Director Ernesto Ravello commented on how the boulevard waterfront was not as dirty as it is today, so they set up platforms and a few swimming lanes.

What a long way we have gone, indeed. Energies were sky-high last week. But now we face further tests of our ingenuity and strength: the return of the assignments, projects, reports, and everything else in between.

We hold the intramurals every year because we had to live up to tradition, and at the very least, give our muscles the long-overdue exercise.

But then there are those that were not actually satisfied with what happened the past week—those that had only slightly felt the spirit of overly steered stamina, and those who, apparently, had no care at all.

Meet the new stratum of this season, the Anti-Intramuralists. From the plain passive types to the total theoretical kinds, they do have a mouthful.

“I hate intrams. It is a lot more stressful getting signatures for attendance slips than coping up with the usual academic demands,” related Cielo Navarro, a management sophomore.

Undeniably, most colleges have to require the whole population to attend and render support. The call for support in the past has now, for some reason(s), come to be defined as requirement.

“For me, I’d rather go to the beach. Why choose to watch a boring game when it’s great to enjoy the sand and sea?” said Mae Tejano, a physics freshman.

Some have even decided to just go back home, instead of witnessing the whole duration of the intramurals.

“I find the [intramurals] boring so I thought I’d better go back to my hometown,” stressed Faye Meja, a nursing junior.

Education junior Junevie Cadiz said, “Mingaw na kaayo ang intrams karon compared before. Daghan kayo nag-uli na mga students. There is less participation.”

“There are those colleges who think they have won even before the games have started, that is why I can say that the intramurals is an just exhibition of some sort,” stressed Niño Jose Gonzales, a third year accountancy student. “Now, it is not a venue for skills and talent, but for pride and showing off who’s who.”

So the question remains: What is intramurals really for? Well, we will have another year of contemplation before we face another season of games.

But to all who had ran, swam, dribbled and spiked, won or lost, cheered and wept, sprained an ankle or lost a voice, all in the name of sports an sportsmanship, kudos! Your being “within the walls” is already one game won.