Director of intramural and club sports Chris Starr talks about talking intramurals too seriously, bowling, getting drunk before inner tube water polo and the Olympics.
10 QUESTIONS
How did you stumble upon this job at CC?
It is a stumble. It’s an absolute stumble. I came to the Springs as a national handball team member at the Olympic training center. I had a pretty good injury, and then I was an assistant basketball coach, and then I started doing some wellness stuff for the school. It truly was a stumble. I mean, it was just all about timing. The person that was directing the intramurals had an expansion in his job and I said, “That sounds awesome.” I was an exercise physiology major so this is awesome.
Do you think that inner tube water polo has a death sentence after what happened two years ago with the alcohol and behavioral issues that cancelled the activity?
No, not at all. In fact, we made it through last year, so absolutely not. I think it’s very popular. Unfortunately, it comes during a tough time in the year – blocks seven and eight. I think any time we run IMs at night, the students have a propensity to engage in alcoholic activities prior to the games, but that one’s particularly tough because it’s [blocks] seven and eight.
A lot of kids see wintertime intramurals as a time to get intoxicated and be crazy. What do you think about these students?
I think it’s unfortunate, and I think it’s not everybody. Unfortunately, those that do imbibe to an extreme degree can really ruin it for a lot of people.
What about the kids who take intramurals too seriously? Like the guys with sweatbands who knock you over?
That’s a sportsmanship issue, and I don’t know that they’re taking it too seriously. I think that’s just lack of respect for peers. I think most students are studying hard and playing hard. It’s reflective of who you guys are. That’s our job as staff and supervisors and referees to help keep that to a minimum.
If you could win one intramural sport, which one would it be?
If I could play one I’d want to win inner tube water polo.
Do you foresee an intramural bowling league?
No, I do not foresee a bowling league. Of course, the bookstore used to be a bowling alley.
It is difficult for the school to fund all the traveling, equipment, and space for club sports?
We’re bound by the club sport bylaws, and it’s very clear what we will pay for and what we do not pay for, and you probably named the things we don’t pay for, which is travel and accommodations. The students pay for this. With regional competition it usually isn’t that onerous on them. Where it becomes difficult for them and teams because of their own success start playing outside the region. So Ultimate Frisbee, both men’s and women’s, have become quite competitive, like last year the women got an invitation to Stanford, they got an invitation to the University of Texas, so that’s not just driving up to Fort Collins and back.
How would you define someone who plays club sports instead of intramural or intercollegiate sports?
I would say someone who plays club sports is generally pretty passionate about what they’re doing, and they’re very committed to what they’re doing. It takes a lot of time, it takes a lot of effort, it takes a tremendous amount of commitment. Not only the time commitment but the financial commitment. So I think they’re pretty serious about what they’re doing. You guys are very adventurous as a student body and you guys like to try things out is what I’ve seen with it whether it’s rugby or equestrian or cycling or what not are usually pretty serious about what they’re doing. That’s in my opinion. That’s what I’ve seen from our student athletes.
Did you play any intramural sports in college?
I didn’t. I was a scholarship athlete, and I wasn’t permitted to.
If you had to play one at CC which one would it be?
I did play when I first came here. I got three technicals in a game. I’m a bit too competitive so I never played after that.