Contact: Kay Fike Jones
Mississippi State faculty, staff and students who think they slam dunk like Vince Carter or can bench press twice their body weight are getting pumped for Recreational Sports Week at the university.
To be held next week [Feb. 21-26] in conjunction with the second campus observance of Fitness Week, the competitions promise "lots of fun and fitness for all participants," according to Recreational Sports director Laura Walling.
Disc jockeys will provide music for the aerobics and basketball contests. Prizes will be awarded in every event except aerobics. (Isn't burning 1,000 calories reward enough?)
To be held at the Joe Frank Sanderson Center, activities will include:
--Bench press competition, Monday [the 21st], 4:30 p.m. weigh-in, with lifting beginning at 5.
--1,000-calorie aerobic workout, Tuesday [the 22nd], 5 p.m. in the main gym.
--Three-point basketball shooting contest, Wednesday [the 23rd], 5 p.m., followed immediately by a slam-dunk contest.
--Beginner, intermediate and advanced wall climbing, Thursday [the 24th], 4 p.m.
"Advance registration isn't required and anyone at MSU can participate," Walling said.
Also Tuesday, Recreational Sports will celebrate National Intramural/Recreational Sports Association Day by hosting residents of the Palmer Home for Children in Columbus. After meeting Bulldog mascots and swimming in Sanderson's indoor pool, the Palmer kids will cap off their afternoon with a barbecue hosted by the MSU staff.
Finally during February, Recreational Sports--a NIRSA member--will sponsor the 2000 Mississippi NIRSA State Workshop on the 25th and 26th. Fitness representatives from the state's universities, colleges and community colleges will discuss aquatics, intramural competition, facilities management, and club sports, among other topics.
For more information on the activities, telephone (662) 325-PLAY [7529].