SHSU Rec Sports

The SHSU Department of Recreational Sports offers a wide variety of recreational programming and provides state of the art facilities for students, faculty and staff. The activities offered include intramural sports, informal recreation, club sports, wellness, special events, outdoor recreation, and aquatics.

Facilities

The facilities managed by the Department of Recreational Sports include the Recreational Sports Center (RSC), the Health and Kinesiology Center (HKC), Johnson Coliseum, the McAdams Tennis Complex, the Pritchett Field Sports Complex, three Intramural Sports Fields, Sand Volleyball Courts, and the University Camp.

The RSC houses a 34’ climbing wall with bouldering area, a 10,000 square-foot weight room with a cardio area, several multipurpose and fitness rooms, as well as an outdoor heated swimming pool. The HKC is shared with the Health and Kinesiology academic program and offers four basketball courts, two multi-purpose rooms, an 1/8-mile indoor running track, ten racquetball courts, and a supplemental weight room.

Adjacent to the RSC/HKC are the three Intramural Sports Fields and Sand Volleyball courts. These are utilized for Intramurals, Informal Recreation, and Special Events. The McAdams Tennis Complex, an outdoor tennis venue with eight tennis courts, is also close to the RSC.

Johnson Coliseum, located directly across from the RSC and HKC, seats 6,094 people and hosts over 90 large-scale events each year. Sammypalooza, Spring Breakout, Men’s and Women’s Varsity Basketball and SHSU Volleyball are just some of the events offered there.

The newly-renovated Pritchett Field Sports Complex, home to many of SHSU’s Recreational Sports Clubs, includes two athletic fields (one grass and one turf) and an outdoor running track.

Programming

Students enjoy the Informal Recreation Program by participating in self-directed recreational activities such as drop-in basketball, weight-lifting, cardio, racquetball or swimming. The seasonally heated pool has four 25-yard lap lanes and a leisure area which can be used for water sports or merely relaxing in the sun.

The Wellness Program offers comprehensive fitness programming for the Bearkat community. Programs include group fitness classes, yoga, personal training, workshops, and nutritional counseling.

Intramural Sports offers a variety of team, dual, and individual activities with both competitive and recreational divisions. Students may participate in softball, flag football and soccer, as well as in non-traditional activities such as dodgeball, Texas Hold’em, and X-box tournaments.

The Club Sports program consists of over 20 recognized student organizations established to promote and develop common sport- and/or recreation-related interests. Sports such as soccer, rugby, lacrosse and even Quidditch have been founded, organized, and maintained by volunteer student leaders who compete regionally and even nationally against other university club sports teams.

Outdoor Recreation is a multi-faceted program consisting of six primary components; Trips, Workshops, the Climbing Center and bouldering area, equipment rental (tents, sleeping bags, kayaks, etc.), Bearkat Camp (a four day, three night experience for incoming freshmen), and the 345-acre University camp and retreat center. The University Camp is a one-of-a-kind recreation and retreat facility located near Riverside, Texas. Members of the SHSU community can spend a day canoeing on the water, fishing, hiking, biking, challenging themselves on the low or high-ropes courses, hosting a gathering in the dining hall, or just enjoying a picnic by the lake.

Rec Sports is also active in hosting large-scale events. Past activities have included Sammypalooza, a musical festival with three stages and several live musical acts and Bearkat Breakout, a fun filled night featuring inflatables, carnival games, andother fun opportunities. Most programs are offered free of charge to SHSU students.

The Recreational Sports department also provides numerous employment opportunities for students who are interested in part-time work. Over 250 student positions are filled annually in the areas of intramural officiating, facility supervision, aquatics, marketing, and fitness.

More detailed information may be found in the handbooks, brochures, and flyers available in the Recreational Sports Office (RSC 162), at recsports.shsu.edu, or by calling (936) 294-1985.