Monday, 6/23/97 Wooden you like to play?
By Vytas Mazeika Daily Bruin Staff Writer Sports activity
abounds at UCLA despite the absence of football, water polo or
baseball teams playing now. When Sports Illustrated voted UCLA the
No. 1 Jock School in May, accomplishments in the NCAA sports were
not the sole reason for the honor. Although the regular school year
is over, there are more athletic-related options than a basketball
pick-up game behind Dykstra Hall or a pool match inside the dorms.
Recreational classes are offered for students and faculty. They
play racquetball and work out at the John Wooden Center – near
Acker-man and right across from the Morgan Center. UCLA also has a
variety of intramural (IM) sports available to students. For those
looking to work out at a gym or use aerobic bicycles to work off
some of those calories, the John Wooden Center has a broad range of
equipment. Its national reputation as an athletic facility and the
many well-toned athletes who patronize the gym may make it
intimidating. But the center caters to those who are just beginning
as well as to those who work out regularly. "The Wooden Center
attracts … students, faculty and staff members," said Scott
Bowman, building supervisor at Wooden. "We also have a lot of
people who are affiliated with UCLA coming to use the facilities."
Challenging a friend to a friendly game of racquetball? All you
have to do is walk up to the Wooden Center – sports equipment for
sports such as racquetball and basketball is available at the
sports information desk for those who will put up their ID cards as
collateral. The center offers everything from a gym with a wide
variety of weight-lifting equipment, to basketball and racquetball
courts and classes on rollerblading. "Our mission at the Wooden
Center is to provide recreation for the masses," Bowman said. "We
have everything that any state-of-the-art gym has." Employees and
student workers at the Center believe that quality customer
service, in addition to the variety of activities being offered
through the center, is what attracts people to the center. Edward
Opoku, a weight room supervisor and front desk clerk, echoed the
sentiment. "My main goal is to be friendly to all patrons," Opoku
said. "I feel that if we greet people with a smile, then this would
make their Wooden Center experience enjoyable." Compared to other
gyms, many student believe that the Wooden Center is accessible and
conducive to their school schedules. "I’ve been coming to the
Wooden Center since freshman year," said fourth-year student Paul
Phillips. "The Wooden Center has everything that I need to complete
my workout, from weights to cardiovascular equipment." To use the
Wooden Center between June 2 and Sept. 30, students much purchase
summer rec. cards (actually, rec. stickers). rec. stickers cost $20
and are required in order to use the facilities. Faculty, staff,
Alumni Association members and family memberships are also
available for the summer and can be purchased at the center.
Incoming freshman at orientation who wish to to work out at the
Wooden Center must obtain a receipt from the UCLA main cashier that
proves their fall registration fees have been paid, and must also
have a UCLA ID to enter the building. Otherwise, they must wait
until fall quarter begins. On the intramural (IM) athletics scene,
three sports are available to students during the summer: a
softball coed league, a 4-on-4 coed sand volleyball league and two
3-on-3 basketball leagues (one for men and one for women). IM
sports cost $15 to join. All of the sports are unofficiated. A
managers’ meeting for each sport will be held Wednesday. Several
skill levels will be offered in most activities. Most matches will
be played weekdays after 4:30 p.m. Those interested should call
(310) 825-3701 or stop by the IM Sports office on the second floor
of Wooden. Open recreation hours will also be held through Aug. 31.
These are times at which independent recreation and exercise is
available for eligible participants (those with summer registration
cards or rec. stickers). Eligible participants may play golf,
badminton or table tennis; swim; kayak and even windsurf if they
are at the right place and the right time. For times and places,
call (310) 206-8307 or visit the operations desk at the John Wooden
Center. The only catch is that participants under the age of 16
must be accompanied by an adult 18 or older unless otherwise
specified. Another option for people who are bored this summer and
looking for something new to learn are recreation classes.
Individuals can learn in-line skating (rollerblading), golf,
horseback riding and even polo. If you wish to enroll in one of
these classes, you must hurry, for drop-box enrollment (found on
page 21 of the Summer Recreation Quarterly). Applications must be
received by 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 24. Students with a current
registration card or rec. card may also enroll in a class at the
cashiering office inside the John Wooden Center until the first
class meeting. Non-rec. card recreation at UCLA offers more
possibilities for participation in sports. One can always jog
around the Drake Track Stadium (beside the IM field and Pauley
Pavilion), or play tennis at the Los Angeles Tennis Center (LATC)
or the Sunset Canyon Tennis Courts (SCTC). For those who live in
the dorms or the apartments, a handful of basketball courts are
available for pick-up games. In the dorms, table tennis and pool
are available to those willing to hand over their UCLA ID card as
collateral. Like most students, Phillips overlooks some outdated
equipment and small weight rooms because "the student atmosphere
makes it easier to concentrate on your workout." PATRICK LAM/Daily
Bruin (Above) Third-year student Joyce Lai (right) practices her
belaying technique at a beginners’ rock climbing class at the
Wooden Center during the Spring ’97 quarter. (Below) Students enjoy
pick-up basketball games at the courts behind Dykstra Hall.
Previous Daily Bruin Story Intense workouts offer more health
benefits, February 20, 1997