REXBURG –– BYU-Idaho's competitive sports tryouts for rugby and soccer are this week, offering students a chance to participate in uplifting recreation.
“We have student coaches that are going to be watching and evaluating the students that are participating. After tryouts are over, they will sit down and do a draft, and they draft the different players that have tried out,” said Phillip Crane, a sports activities manager at BYU-Idaho.
Crane says he loves working with the students to integrate the gospel of Jesus Christ into the sports programs they build.
“Going to our coaches’ meetings are awesome because we promote leading like the Savior. That’s how we teach our students. And they teach it to the coaches,” Crane said.
Ryan Hansen, a campus activities advisor, says every semester he hears the same thing from students –– they wish they would have known about the sports activities sooner because they make such good friends during their experience.
Hansen knows it can be intimidating trying out for a sport, but he believes students should give it a shot.
“Whether it’s competitive sports or anything else that we have on campus, there is a place for you to belong. There are people that you need to meet and interact with,” Hansen said.
Crane says whether it’s getting involved in sports or something else, students need to try something.
“You got to get involved. If you’re going to school at BYU-Idaho, you’re missing out if you’re not involved in something," Crane said.
Competitive rugby tryouts are at the Stadium Field on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday the women’s tryouts will happen at 6 p.m. and the men’s tryouts will happen at 7:30 p.m. Then on the second day of rugby tryouts, men will try out at 6 p.m. and women will try out at 7:30 p.m.
Competitive soccer tryouts will be at the Upper Fields on fields 1, 2, 5, and 6 on Thursday and Friday. On Thursday the men’s tryouts will happen at 5 p.m. and the women’s will be at 7 p.m. On the second day of soccer tryouts, the women’s tryouts will happen at 5 p.m. and the men’s will be at 7 p.m.
Tryouts are free, so anybody who is thinking about trying to test their mettle can do so free of charge.
If you’re interested in taking a look at the intramural sports the university offers, or if you’d like to register for competitive tryouts, go online to IMLeagues.