MacKenzie Dayne Hall

RecLife debuts renovated climbing center

STAFF WRITER: MACKENZIE HALL

 While Ouachita students enjoyed an eight-week long winter break, Shane Seaton and Matthew Cook, director and assistant director of OBU Recreational life, were hard at work preparing for the upcoming spring semester.

From renovations to the CRAG to new virtual events, Ouachita students have a lot to look forward to from Rec Life this semester.

With a fresh coat of paint, new monochromatic routes and an added slab, the CRAG has new additions for climbers to enjoy.

“I’ve been wanting to put a slab in where it’s at a little lower angle because that’s good for beginners and also really good for people who’ve been climbing awhile because it helps you with balance,” Seaton said.

These new updates can be enjoyed during the upcoming Rockfest Climbing Competition happening throughout the month of February.

There are no sign ups for this event. Students are welcome to enter at any time during the course of the four-week competition. Competitors will earn points by completing different routes. 

 “Students can come in and get their scorecard. As they climb, it will get harder, which earns them more points,” Seaton said. “Because it’s longer this year, we will also do some kind of footage prizes as well for climbing the most routes.”

Winners can receive prizes including items from the popular Arkansas brand Fayettechill as well as gift cards to local restaurants.

Students can also look forward to the wide range of virtual events hosted through IMLeagues.com.

These virtual events will allow students in quarantine to participate. A few of these events include NBA Pick ‘Em League and Super Bowl predictions.

“Students can pick winners of the NBA games every Saturday and Sunday. Correct predictions will allow them to acquire points that will go towards an overall winner for the week as well as  the overall winner for the whole thing. There will also be an overall weekend winner so if somebody gets really lucky one weekend they will also be awarded.” Cook said. 

The NBA Pick ‘Em League is available online at IMLeagues.com. Users simply create an account and click the NBA Pick ‘Em League link on the website.

As for the Super Bowl predictions, Cook says students will be asked questions centered around the game.

“Students can sign up for the Super Bowl predictions that night. We’ll be asking different questions like “who is going to win the coin toss?” and “what’s going to be the final score of the game?” Cook said.

Along with the new addition of virtual events, students will still have the opportunity to participate in intramural sport leagues observing COVID-19 guidelines. A few of these sports leagues will include archery and disc golf.

For two weeks, students will be able to show off their archery skills competing against other teams.

“We’re going to be signing people up in teams of three or four and they’re going to come in here and compete against other teams. As they move through the league depending on their score, they will be playing those other teams to crown the winner,” Cook said.

Following the archery league will be a disc golf scramble to celebrate upgrades being completed to the disc golf course. Competitors will compete against other teams and play from the best shot. This is an opportunity for all skill levels to participate.

“You’ll be able to throw from the best person shot on your team. So, if you’re throwing in the woods every time, you’re not going to throw from the woods, you’re going to be able to throw from the person that is kind of moving your team through,” Cook said.

For more information, watch for Rec Life emails, download the RecLife app and follow Rec Life on Instagram at @ouachitareclife.