SIU, community offer a variety of outdoor activities

I never knew so many outdoor activities awaited me at the click of a mouse. Browsing on the SIUC website the other day, I discovered SIU offers 45 recreational activities and quite a few of them reside outdoors. Now that the weather is warm, any SIU student can break the sweat of cabin fever and enjoy the outdoors.

And the best part is it seems so easy. Many are free or inexpensive and are welcoming to new members. Check it out.

Cycling Club, SIU

Members can join the Cycling Club by showing up to a meeting. The meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of every month. It's free to join, but a jersey must be purchased. Riders of all levels are welcome and membership is open to the public; not just SIUC students. All that is required is a helmet, a bike, and plenty of water. The rides' lengths depend on the trails or area the club is riding in or around. A link on the website for this information will be up shortly. For more information, contact by email: info@siucycling.org

Egyptian Divers Scuba Club

Egyptian Divers, often called ED scuba, is a registered student organization of SIUC and is currently affiliated with NAUI & PADI certified divers and instruction. Egyptian Divers was established to provide area divers with an opportunity to meet other divers, locate dive partners, obtain beginning to advanced training, and to share ideas and experiences. The first Egyptian Divers Meetings began at Southern Illinois University in 1970 and has flourished ever since. Today there are more than 86 active members. The uniqueness about the Club is every week is a learning experience. Presentations, workshops, training, guest speakers and camaraderie make this organization one of the top in the region. Egyptian Divers meets every Wednesday evening at 6:30 in room 21 of Pullium Hall on the SIU campus. After a brief informational meeting, club equipment is available for check out or for use in the Pullium swimming pool. Meeting times can change from semester to semester, so be sure to check back here for updates and weekly meeting topics.

For information on openwater courses, Nitrox classes, advanced courses and the layout for trips, contact via email: okipac@aol.com or the Student Recreation Center at 536-5531.

Men's Rugby Football Club, SIU

The men's rugby football club was founded in 1972 by Steve "Tex" Ash and has continued to flourish within the Illinois Rugby Football Union since its foundation.

The game of rugby is divided into two forty minute halves with no more than a five minute break between, during which no player may leave the field. At the final whistle, both teams clap each other off the field and shake hands with their opposite number, or mark. This begins the "third" half.

The "third" half is another strictly kept tradition which dictates the host team to provide refreshments and food for overnight visitors as well as a place to sleep after the game. In this third half, songs are sung, cigars are smoked, stories swapped, techniques compared, and friendships formed.

The "third" half allows players to put behind all the dishonorable things done to one another on the field in order to part the game as friends.

They never cut any player from the club and even guarantee everyone a chance to play in some matches.

If interested, send an e-mail to siurugby@yahoo.com.

Women's Rugby Football Club

Last year was the first time since 1993 that a women's bracket entered the rugby club. The bracket consisted of five teams: Eastern Illinois University, University of Illinois, St. Louis, Illinois State University and SIU. University of Illinois won the women's bracket, with SIU coming in second place.

The SIU Women's Rugby Team accepts new players throughout the semester. It doesn't matter if a person has played before; they require no previous experience. The club teaches its members everything they need to know. Most who come out rarely knows anything about rugby and that is most common and acceptable.

Positions for people of all sizes and athletic ability are being recruited. There are 15 different and unique positions on the field. Some positions require a skilled and fast runner to a bigger and more powerful tackler.

A uniform is required, but it's simple. The only garment required is rugby shorts, a pair of cleats (most soccer cleats apply) and socks. All of these can be ordered or borrowed through the team. The jerseys are all apart of a kit that the team owns. Each position on the field is represented by a particular number. Since a player's position may change constantly and so forth, the team takes on the responsibility of giving a member the proper number to wear.

Practices are held from 4-6 p.m., Monday through Thursday. A workout plan from the athletic office at SIU guides the team and keeps them in shape.

The games are over the weekends. They travel on their own, rent hotel rooms, and schedule all of their own games.

Some of the regular places the team travels to are: Huntsville, Alabama; Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; Chicago; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Little Rock, Arkansas. The rugby season is year round with a break in December.

If you are interested in this club, check out the recruiting page on the SIUC website.

Soccer Club (Men's and Women's)

The Southern Illinois University men's soccer club is open to all SIU students interested in playing competitive soccer. The soccer club is run by students of the university and is part of the Intramural Department.

During the fall and spring semesters, the club hosts practices to prepare for tournaments and friendly matches. The club tries to participate in as many tournaments and friendly matches as it can, both home and away. These matches are usually against club teams from other universities.

Practices are held indoors and outdoors depending on the time of the year. Indoor practices are usually held at the beginning of the spring semester and at the end of the fall semester and outdoor practices are held at the latter part of the spring semester and during the beginning of the fall semester.

We begin training indoors when the spring semester begins. Training usually commences on the Monday of the second week of the semester. Indoor practice sessions are held at the gymnasium at Pulliam Hall. Outdoor practices normally begin when the spring semester resumes after spring break.

Sailing Club (Collegiate)

SICSC was formed in 1966 and continues to carry on its mission of introducing and building sailing skills and friendships throughout the SIU student population and Southern Illinois community. The large fleet consists of sailboats that will satisfy any level of sailing, from training to leisure to competition.

Members will find themselves making many friends, learning the art of sailing, and helping the club in its mission of promoting sailing.

There is only a small membership fee involved to help cover general costs.

Members will also have networking options within and beyond the club, opportunities to crew and eventually race in many activities ranging from moonlight sails to regattas.

After joining SICSC, a member will receive a packet of information, including club guidelines and rules, a sailing handbook, and an outline detailing how to become skippered on the many sailboats of our fleet.

Lastly, it is not necessary to be a student to join. Anyone is welcome.

The current membership fees are $25 per semester and $45 for both semesters.

Skydivers, SIU

Any student in good standing at SIUC can become a member of the club simply by paying the annual membership fee of $15 and maintaining an SIU Skydiver's ID card. While there are no other conditions to membership, at most drop zones, you must be at least 18 years old before you will be allowed to jump.

After joining the club, members receive discounts on all skydives at SEMO Skydiving. Even though skydiving isn't cheap, the club rates help out. Pricing available on the website.

Two jumps are standard--either an Instructor Assisted Deployment jump (IAD) or a Tandem jump.

For further information, check out the SIUC website.

Triathlon Club

The SIUC Triathlon Club is open for membership to tri-athletes of all ability levels. The Club provides organized group training, sponsorship, and affordable reduced student rates to all events to which it selects to participate in by means of travel, accommodations and entry fees.

The club is open to all students, faculty and staff officially affiliated with the University and their spouses and dependents if they wish to participate.

The club is a great way to meet people that are interested in multi-sport events.

It's a positive team atmosphere where members are encouraged to train together, race together, support one another and above all else have fun. It's a great way to learn from veterans in the sport what to do and where to compete.

It's only $20 and both the Indoor Triathlon and the Doc Spackman are free to members. Depending on how involved in the club you are you receive money at the end of the year to fund races during the summer.

Race information is as follows: 10 minute swim, 20 minute bike, 15 minute run.

Swimming laps are 25-yards long, the cycling leg is done on stationary bikes, and the running leg will be done on a 200-meter track.

Winners will be determined according to a point system based on total distance covered. Athletes under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Attend Triathlon Club meetings on the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. in the observation area above the pool.

Windsurfing Club, SIU

Meetings for Spring 2003 are held in the Student Center on Thursday nights at 7 p.m. on the third floor, Activity Room B.

Lessons are available online at www.windsurfer.com.

For more information, call 534-9368 or send an email to airart@siu.edu.

All information for recreational clubs provided by the SIUC website.