Rec-IM

Competition reveals character.

That is the motto given on the Gordon College website for the intramural sports department. On that same page it says that the goal of the department is to “foster community among students, encourage Christ-like sportsmanship, and promote a healthy lifestyle within a structured and fun environment.” The school offers a wide array of intramural sports options. This semester alone there is flag football, beach volleyball, kickball, and 3 v 3 basketball. Referred to as Rec IM, it is hugely popular throughout the student body. While competition does reveal character, it also helps to bond students socially.

“Rec IM is a really good way to get to know people in your dorm who might be outside your friend group,” said John Clancy, a senior soccer player at Gordon who has participated in Rec IM as both a player and an official in the past. “That’s especially true in sports that require more participants. Competition has a way of bringing people together.”

One of Rec IM’s main goals is to foster community amongst the students. But some students, especially former high school athletes, require a bit more to work off their competitive edge. There are two different leagues, A and B. B-League is more relaxed, with the aim being to have fun regardless of the outcome. A-League is a bit more fast-paced and aggressive.

“I really like to play A-League just for the high level of competition there,” said Sam Stockwell, a sophomore at Gordon and an intense Rec IM participant. “My feeling is that if you could compete in A-League, you should, and if you’re a dedicated athlete you’ll want to.”

Important Rec IM information can be found on the Gordon Go site. Also several emails are sent out per week, keeping students up to date.

Tom Lake visit

His visit was a few weeks ago now but I forgot to put my reflections up on the blog. I'll do the best I can to remember what I took away from his visit.

- Right off the bat I was surprised that he didn't mention sports at all. I think besides saying that he worked for SPORTS Illustrated, I'm not sure he even said that word again. Definitely not what I was expecting.

- He confirmed for me something that I'd definitely been fearing when he said being a good journalist is all about repetition. Doing as many interviews as possible, covering as many stories, and getting practice working under deadlines.

- It was interesting hearing him talk about his paper route and how that helped his grow as an interviewer.

- Finally it was nice to share my story idea with him and to receive back some positive feedback.

Twitter is Changing the Game

Sohaib Athar, or @ReallyVirtual as he is known in the world of Twitter, was in the right place at the right time. When he posted on his account about hearing helicopters circling Abbottbad, Athar became the first reporter to cover one of the most impactful news events in recent memory.

The Osama raid is just one example of an event that the majority of college students were first made aware of via Twitter or other social networking sites, if only from seeing friends posts. The accessibility of Twitter means people everywhere can receive news quicker and from a wider array of sources. But Jack Dorsey, Executive Chairman of Twitter, first created the site as a communication tool.

“I use Twitter more because it’s entertaining,” says Alicia MacDonald, a sophomore at Gordon College. “It doesn’t really change the way I access news, except for sometimes when I check something out that’s trending that I maybe wouldn’t have otherwise.”

There’s no denying the advantage this real time reporting tool can provide for the news industry. It allows journalists to share their thoughts, stories, articles, pictures, videos instantly with anyone who cares to see them. For busy college students with little to no free time, speed and accessibility is everything.

“I would definitely say that Twitter has changed the way I get my news,” says Dave Hanson, a Gordon College sophomore. “In todays day and age all sorts of information is available at our fingertips. Twitter definitely keeps me more informed on whatever is happening in the world.”

Local newspapers like the Salem News are fully embracing this reporting revolution. Their twitter profile @salemnewssports provides regular sports updates and in-game coverage of both high school and college level teams on the North Shore.

The immensity of Twitter means there is something there for everyone. The site will continue to thrive because so many enjoy the ease of sharing information with each other.