Intramural sports is playing a big role with many students here on campus at West Texas A&M University. Intramurals is finally gearing up for softball to be ready to run the bases starting Nov. 3, 2020.

“So no one can make a team anymore. All the teams are done. But anyone can add teams. Anyone can add to a team, but you can’t start a new team because that was the timeframe closed. But anyone could add a team or you can be a free agent and people can pick you up,” said junior pre-medicine biology, major Aubrey Mead.

Along with COVID-19 taking over the world, this has led to some hoops to jump through when trying to find a way to safely and effectively continue intramural sports this year.

“We can’t have people in the stands to watch. They can’t sit in the dugout, and wait for their team to bat like they have to be standing up six feet apart. They have to play with masks on,” Mead said.

This all is a way to keep students participating in intramural softball safe while still having fun out there on the field. This sport is being done tournament style along with playoffs and eventually a championship team with sports schedules being switched around due to COVID-19.

“We usually play softball in the spring, you know, softball, baseball, it’s a spring sport for this time, we’d really be playing flag football. And so I mean, it’s just reversed. How we do things this year, we’re trying to have the sports with what we feel is the least amount of contact going right now. That’s why we started off with volleyball and now softball,” said senior criminal justice major, Kix Ferrel.

While the Buffs are finding a safe and fun way to go play softball during these different times, we are living and seeing students from all different majors and classifications come together and participate. This season may give the students here on campus a morale boost during the pandemic.

“I think there’s some main tasks as everybody wearing their mask, and just staying six feet apart. But I think overall, everyone is going to have a good time if everyone sticks to the rules,” said junior computer information systems major, Ankit Bhakta.

For more information and answers to questions that may arise please go to wtamu.com/Intramural sports and to look at upcoming game schedules. More intramural sports will be starting in the future as well as much more offered for students and staff at WTAMU.