One of my first real jobs involved me sitting in a semi-covered wooden scorer’s box. Once I had made the slow climb up the unsteady stairs, I would then proceed to keep the stat book and punch the scores for a slow-pitch softball league.

Something that always got to me was how serious this was to the players. It always seemed like a pointless after-work activity before they had to go back to their even more mundane lives that involved picking their children up from soccer practice or helping their wives do the laundry with an Obama-sized, pre-health-care-reform grin across his face.

Then it became clear to me that this was more than just an activity; this was them reliving something that they wanted to experience all over again.

They wanted that opportunity to be looked at like a champion again.

They were able to put everything behind them for a few mere moments and step into the spotlight. They were given the opportunity to be a loud hero in their minds instead of the quiet hero they play on a day-to-day basis.

That was not their occupation though and they had a hard time coming to an understanding of that fact.

These men were accountants, firefighters, Jehovah’s Witnesses, husbands and fathers. In no way, shape or form were they paid athletes.

They had other responsibilities to adhere to before making their way onto the diamond.

The extreme does not meet the same extent on our campus, which moves at a moderate speed compared to that of an outsiders opinion.

But, the “athletes” that often take the field of play find themselves searching for that elusive intramural T-shirt.

It has happened on more than one occasion that players of anonymity find themselves acting as if a win is more important than keeping an ounce of self-respect for themselves.

The opportunity to bleed on the field for their team colors is a more important matter than a real understanding of the importance of what is going on around them.

Maybe an intramural game does not matter that much?

No, that can’t be it.

The field is less of an opportunity to step away from everyday life and more of a sanctuary for these college athletes, in their own rights.

Some approach intramural sports with a feeling of indifference. They honestly could take it or leave it.

These are typically the people that find it quite comical when they find themselves playing against those of the intense variety.

These are the ones that represent their championship shirt with pride as they take another pick-up win at the CPA.

Then, they pump the iron and throw back a few protein shakes before watching a preview of a UFC fight.

The point is that maybe we have been too serious about this whole intramural competition thing.

There has never been anything wrong with wanting to win, but it is just something to pass the time and hopefully take one’s mind away from the stress that is the countless two to three hours of classes and studying a day.

Then again, I am pretty sure we do have someone hired and paid as the director of this organization.

Is it not possible to assemble a small group of like-minded individuals together and pay them the salary of a Vietnamese factory worker for roughly the same job?

In a time of cutbacks, that seems like a very logical alternative as opposed to looking toward other areas.

A little bit of time and effort would definitely do the trick over a paycheck.

I guess the real question is what does this director of such intricate detail get paid before we go any further with this possible planning stage?

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