You can never have too many T-shirts!

VCU Rec Sports is giving away FREE T-shirts this week! Come to either the Siegel Center or MCV Campus Recreation & Aquatic Center and get our 2009 edition of our popular "Discover" shirt, while supplies last.




This year's theme is "Discover Something New" in honor of our new and renovated facilities that are coming online this year.

Remember to bring your VCU Card. If you haven't signed up for RecPass express entry, yet, now's a great time to do it.

Spring Exam Schedule

Due to spring exams, Rec Sports will be altering its hours from April 29 through May 8. Please note the following schedule regarding the facilities:

Siegel Center

Monday-Thursday 6am-12am

Friday 6am-8pm

Saturday 8am-7pm

Sunday 9am-8pm

MCV Campus

Monday-Friday 6am-8pm

Saturday 9am-7pm

Sunday 9am-8pm

MCV Campus Pool

Monday-Friday 6am-9am and 11am-7:30pm

Saturday 9am-6:30pm

Sunday 9am-7:30pm

Franklin Street Pool

Monday-Friday 11am-2pm and 1pm-5pm

Saturday 1pm-5pm

Sunday 4pm-8pm

Thalheimer Tennis Ctr. CLOSED

Outing Rental Ctr.

Mon. Thurs. Fri. 11am-6pm

Tues. Wed. 11am-4pm

Sat. Sun. CLOSED

Cary St. Field & Basketball Courts

Monday-Friday 12pm-9pm

Saturday 12pm-7pm

Sunday 12pm-8pm

*Please note that field reservations may alter use of field. Hours will be posted on a weekly basis

*Group exercise classes end April 28. A summer session schedule will be available soon.

Lets Get Personal

For freshman Steve Kaplan, Personal Training is something that comes naturally. Through his many years in high school sports, Kaplan began his curiosity quest to understand the science behind the purpose and benefits of certain exercises, as well as the proper way of performing them. While still in high school he even started to train his friends unprofessionally as a way to get more observations and develop an understanding of how individuals compensate movements in exercise to make up for certain over or under-active muscles.

Steve became a Personal Trainer in the spring of 2009 after receiving certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. All trainers are required to have a certification from either the American Council on Exercise (ACE), Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA), American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) or American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Prior to working for Rec Sports he worked at Jungle’s Gym in Northern VA as a Fitness Center Assistant.

The goal of Personal Fitness Trainers is to help their clients “Gain an overall knowledge of the necessity of daily fitness,” says Kaplan. “Clients come to Personal Trainers generally seeking weight loss, or a change in physical appearance, it is the trainer’s job to dig down and get that underlying reason for why they are really here. Whether it is them wanting to be more fit so that they can play with their kids, or they really want to be more attractive to the opposite sex, we have to relay that information so we can better develop a more personal, training program.”

One might ask what advantages does the training program have? “Usually our clients lack the knowledge to perform exercises safely, and develop beneficial training programs for themselves,” says Kaplan. “Individuals who have received no coaching previously, or have no experience in the field really need to seek a Personal Fitness Trainer, so that they can feel confident when they enter a gym setting and know what they should work and focus on, and mainly know that they are doing it properly.”

One must complete the introduction package before buying individual training sessions. If you are interested in signing up for Personal Fitness Training here at Rec Sports, you can do so by visiting the front desk, the fitness center, or by visiting http://www.recsports.vcu.edu/fitness/.

VCU Club Baseball Starts 09 Undefeated

In just its fourth year, the Club Baseball team of VCU has reached many milestones in just a short time. It is, for the third year, a member of the National Club Baseball Association.

Last year, the team won their conference and came in fourth place at the NCBA World Series.

In a three game series including a double-header on Saturday, March 21 and a game on March 22, VCU Club Baseball came out the victor in a sweep of the Richmond Spiders.

Games are played at Clark Springs Elementary School off of Harrison Street across from the expressway. Games are free and open to everyone. Those in attendance at games include family members of players, players’ girlfriends, and friends of the club.

So far this season, the Rams are 5-0 after playing William and Mary and Richmond.

Club baseball team members vary in experience and there is no specific requirement for those looking to join.

“High school varsity experience is a plus, but there have been successful players that haven’t played since middle school,” says President, Tim Grandy.

If you are interested in joining contact Tim Grandy a grandytl@vcu.edu. For more information on club baseball visit their website at https://secureapp.netclubmgr.com/ICS/CM/V2/Student/Club.aspx?uid=vcuniv&ClubId=5614

Photos by Bobby Tiamson

RecPass Comes to Siegel Center

Entrance into Rec Sports at the Siegel Center will soon be quicker than ever. Rather than having to wait in line to have your card swiped, users will now be able to go through the turnstiles by simply waving their VCUCard at the card reader and placing their right index finger on the finger recognition reader. By adding RecPass, Rec Sports says it will be able to better understand facility usage patterns. This will allow Rec Sports to plan for staffing during busy times, enhance programming, and provide better customer service.

You may enroll in RecPass now! Stop by the service desk and let the attendant know that you want to register. Your VCUCard will be swiped and you will also place your finger on the reader so that your print will be in the Rec Sports member records.

This new system will add security to the Recreational Sports facilities by confirming that the actual cardholder is the one entering the building.

If you choose to not register for RecPass, you can still swipe your VCUCard at the service desk. You will also have to swipe your card when you leave. However, please note that the service desk staff will be giving priority service to individuals with questions, rentals, memberships, and other detailed business, so you may have to wait to gain access to the facility.

Progress on Cary Street

Next time you step into the new Monroe Park Campus Recreation Complex the only thing recognizable will be the brick exterior.

When the complex (formerly known as the Cary Street Gym) opens in the spring of 2010, it will open to serve students in new ways, including a rock climbing wall, multi-activity center or MAC and an Aquatic Center.

The rock climbing wall will be located in the center of the 18,000 square foot fitness center. The L-shaped wall will be fully staffed to keep students safe and to ensure proper usage. However, when staff is not available for the wall, students will be able to take advantage of a rock climbing boulder located near the wall for a unique experience.

The Fitness Center will feature all new exercise equipment, including a variety of circuits, free weight area, and a mezzanine with cardio equipment. A Fitness Resource Bar will be centrally located to provide members with a variety of fitness and nutrition information.

The Multi-Activity Center, or MAC will provide an indoor playing field for floor hockey, soccer, lacrosse, rugby and other sports. What makes this space different than a regular gym floor will be the inclusion of nets, a turf floor and penalty boxes.

Also new to the Monroe Park Campus will be the multi-purpose Aquatic Center. More than just a pool, this water complex will host various activities. A multi-person spa, vortex pool, leisure pool, and an activity pool will all share one roof. The activity pool will host scheduled water sports (basketball and volleyball) as well as lap swimming. Swimmers and non-swimmers alike will be able to enjoy many aquatic activities including Dive in Movies.

Of course all of this will come with state of the art features. The new complex will have self check-in available, all digital displays and plenty of natural light.

With the completion of the new roof and the pouring of the cement floor and aquatic facilities, the construction is progressing quickly. For updates on the construction progress please visit http://www.students.vcu.edu/construction/

Weights Without the Wait

In the last month, Rec Sports at the Stuart C. Siegel Center has recorded all time attendance highs four times. Since the closing of the Cary Street Gym, VCU Recreational Sports has responded by extending the hours of the facilities on both campuses, keeping them open until midnight Monday through Thursday. Additionally, the Siegel Center stays open until midnight on Sundays.

Record crowds at the Siegel Center have put the Fitness Center at capacity a few times already, but no students have been turned away. When planning a workout, it is important to consider various times of day in order to get first choice in desired equipment.

“Our busiest hours are between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.,” says Rec Sports Associate Director of Programs, Karen Carden. “5 p.m. to 7 p.m. is an especially busy time when students are getting a workout in before a night class or before they go home for the night.”

With an opening hour of 6 a.m., Rec Sports fitness center users can arrange for an early workout before work and class. Students are encouraged to attend during the early gym hour from 6am until 7:30am.

“We encourage people to come in the early morning or between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.,” says Carden. Also, “It is thinner after lunch from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. because most students are at work on in class,” she says.

Another option available when trying to avoid gym crowding during peak hours is the MCV Campus Recreation Center. The same equipment is available at both locations. Although there are not as many machines, they are all comparable and maintained equally.

If students would like to avoid the high traffic times at the Siegel Center, they are encouraged to arrange their trip to the gym during the thinner periods since their schedules are sometimes more flexible than those of the faculty and staff. For more information on facility hours, please visit http://www.recsports.vcu.edu/facilities/facility_hours.php