The Gridiron: Where pretenders are put in their place and where champions are born. College campuses everywhere opened up about a month ago, around the same time as many football teams, both professional and amateur, kicked off their seasons. Here at King’s, those students not wishing to participate in the NCAA sanctioned football program can instead relive past glories or make new memories with intramural flag football.
Sophomores Sean Stout and Josh Horton are in charge of the sport, which features 9 teams of ten players each. Seven players are on the field from each team at all times. Games are fast paced and mainly consist of aerial assaults, with passing yards coming in bunches. Schedules are determined weekly by the “commissioners,” and are sent to the members of the league. Stout and Horton are looking into posting these schedules weekly around campus to drum up even more interest in the rejuvenated program.
“The league is a lot more competitive this year. We are really a lot more organized,” says Horton, a former high school running back. “It seems like everyone is really enjoying themselves, and teams waiting to play the next game root on their friends from teams playing before.” Horton also stated that spectators have been coming in larger numbers this year; however, more are always welcomed. “You can never have too many fans,” he said laughing.
“The teams are having a lot more fun this year,” says Stout, a former safety for his high school team. Teams, such as Stout and Horton’s Team X-Factor, have made their own jerseys with logos and numbers. Most players have invested in cleats to reassure their footing while playing. “We want to specially thank Coach Anthony for letting us run the program this year, it means a lot to us.” Games are played at Kirby Park on Sundays between 11AM and 2PM.
“Anyone can get a team together and play,” Stout added. “A few of the guys out there every week have played football before, but it is not a requirement. As long as you are having fun and developing teamwork and friendship, it is worth it.” Some teams have gone so far as to organize team-bonding events such as movies or going bowling. Other teams actually go out and practice in their spare time. According to the commissioners, teams are averaging about thirteen touchdowns per game, and that is with players with all different levels of experience out on the field.
Whether you played football throughout your school days or just played in gym class, anyone could be the hero on any day of King’s College intramural flag football. More than anything else, this is a league where fun and good-natured competition rule the day. For those teams who didn’t get to sign up this year, there is always next year, when Stout and Horton look to expand the league and have a playoff system.
“Pain heals; Chicks dig scars; Glory lasts forever,” Sean Stout said as he left our interview, referring to the Keanu Reeves quote from The Replacements.
The league consists of nine teams (record in parentheses): Team X-Factor (1-1), The Duck Rabbits (2-0), Team Schrute (2-0), Team John Warrick (1-0), The Renegades (1-1), The Razorbacks (1-1), FF Mafia (0-2), The Sticky Bandits (0-2), and B-Tassels (0-1). |
