Indoor sports for
the uninclined

> For the uncoordinated who also hate working out

Katie Czenczek
Staff Writer

 

o, you hate sports? I don’t blame you.

Maybe PE class was absolute torture
when you were growing up. The athletes
were the few students who genuinely
enjoyed sweating in between other classes
and often left you feeling completely
inadequate on the courts. You might
have even been the kid that ended up
spinning in circles because you were
never passed to. Or, on the opposite end,
maybe you hated PE because you felt like
there was absolutely no competition. To
those people I say: go join competitive
sports. This article isn’t for the naturally
coordinated.

I thought I’d start you off easy

by sticking to strictly indoors sports.
Outdoor sports are a whole other playing
field (literally), and the erratic weather
is enough to deter many newcomers.
If youre like me and the idea of
weightlifting in a gym feels a little too
akin to doing your taxes—but you also
fear the wrath of Vancouver’s weather—
it may be time to find some indoor
activities.

Your first bet for joining the sports
world would be to participate in activities
at one of the Douglas College campuses.
Intramurals are currently running
every Friday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at
the New West Campus, and volleyball
and basketball are the just two of the
many sports you can play. In Coquitlam,
intramurals are offered at the Pinetree
Community Centre in Gym 3, with dates
being constantly added to the Douglas
College website. There is emphasis on
students of all skill levels being welcome
at these events, but if that still doesn’t
sound too appealing there are many other
options.

Every Tuesday in the Movement
Studio at New West Campus, students
and faculty alike can join the World of
Dance, run by Kashika and Paula. This
hour-long class runs from 4:30 to 5:30
p.m. where dances from all over the world
are taught. Learn about different cultures
while you increase your heartrate.

If neither of these work, there is
always the handy fitness schedule that
shows all of the times yoga classes, spin
classes, and workout classes are running.
All of these activities are free with your
student ID so try to get out there and get
sweaty!

Patriotic revival

 

C C The issue of whether an individual should kneel while the

‘Star-Spangled Banner’ is being played or stand and sing like

end ang ers a proud patriot is forcing the country into a downward spiral.”

free speech

> Old debate becomes prominent again

Braeden Mandrusiak
Contributor

 

o far, the 21st century has been both

beneficial and deprecating for the
United States. However, in particular,
the issue of whether an individual should
kneel while the “Star-Spangled Banner”
is being played or stand and sing like a
proud patriot is forcing the country into
a downward spiral.

The war against American
patriotism started in 1968 when Tommie
Smith and John Carlos of the United
States Olympic Team gave the Black
Panther salute during the procession
of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” They
were immediately suspended from the
competition, but they were only showing
their disapproval toward a racially
intolerant country.

In 1996, Denver Nuggets’ player
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf of the National
Basketball Association chose to boycott
the “Star-Spangled Banner” because
of American nationalism. He faced
heavy backlash from the fans and the
American populace. This included
threats of death and having his house
burned down. This all was done in spite
of the First Amendment of the United
States, which was designed to protect the
people of the country from repercussions
involving actions surrounding freedom
of expression.

The spotlight is now on then-San
Francisco 4gers player Colin Kaepernick
of the National Football League who
made several protests during the

playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner”
in the 2016-2017 season by sitting and
kneeling during the playing of the
anthem. Although Kaepernick took

a knee to protest police violence and
racial intolerance in the United States,
President Donald Trump decided to
weigh in on the debate by asking for the
people of the country to “just pick up
and leave” the stadium when they see a
player-protest occurring.

The tweet from Trump was met by
backlash from National Football League
players, owners, and fans. The reaction
is a much-needed refresher against
the unnecessary crusade by Trump, as
the players who are committing these
protests are not any more “un-American”
compared to their anthem-singing
counterparts.

The effects of this outrageous
debacle will be long-lasting. A unified
force of National Football League players
knelt in unison to depose of the hatred
and bigotry forwarded by Trump. The
National Football League has criticized
the tirade made by Trump against the
organization and even the White House
Chief of Staff John Kelly is “appalled” by
the comments made by the President.
However, there is no simple fix to the
problem.

One possible solution would be
for Trump to stop tweeting, but he
isn't going to stop that anytime soon.
Another possible solution could be to
let the players of the National Football
League kneel if the situation warrants,
as the freedoms that built the United
States into a country are the gateways to
equality.

 

 

Photo by Michael Zagaris via slate.com