Celebrating a University Tradition

As the Division of Recreational Sports marks its 90th anniversary this academic year, there are many reasons to celebrate. From its meager beginnings in 1916, Recreational Sports has served The University of Texas at Austin community – making it one of the oldest recreational sports programs in the nation. What began as a men’s intramural program 90 years ago has grown and evolved to become one of the largest and most comprehensive university Recreational Sports programs of its kind in the country.

Students, faculty, and staff enjoy a vast array of leisure-time activities. Attesting to its popularity among students is the fact that 90 percent of the student body participate in recreational sports activities, the highest level in RecSports history. This amounts to over 3 million hours of participation each year.

With the renovation and reopening of Gregory Gym in 1997 and the completion of the Gregory Gym Aquatic Complex in the fall of 2005, the Division has positioned itself in the "heart of campus" and continues to expand its campus-wide involvement. By hosting activities such as commencement, freshmen orientation, lock-ins, student elections, and numerous other special events, RecSports has become a central player in creating a sense of community on campus. Clearly, RecSports is growing and becoming an increasingly vibrant and vital part of campus life – touching the lives of students from their freshmen year to graduation day, and beyond.

Join us as we celebrate the 90th anniversary throughout the year at various special events including the Party on the Plaza on Sept. 6, the RecSports Open House on Oct. 14, Parents’ Weekend to be held Oct. 27-29, National Recreational Sports and Fitness Day on Feb. 22, Splash Bash in the spring (date to be determined) and the RecSports Poker Walk (UT faculty/staff only) on May 9.

You can also learn more about RecSports by viewing a special historical display of RecSports leaders in the lobby of Gregory Gym and in the pages of the September/October 2006 edition of The Alcalde, the magazine of the Texas Exes.

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