Pickleball in LaHaye

May 5, 2023

Written by Nathaniel Hutton, Facilities Coordinator

Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the entire world. Communities across the globe are picking up on this popular new sport and has become a hit. People of all ages are grabbing a paddle and heading to the court to have a great time with friends and family. You can be next!
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a fun new sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong.  Pickleball can be played both indoors and outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net.  Certain rules are in place that are specific to the sport, like not being allowed to step inside a zone seven feet on either side of the net.  Don’t let the rules distract from how fun and exciting the game is. Pickleball was invented in 1965 near Seattle, Washington, but has recently gained much attraction.  The key to pickleball is that it is accessible to all age and skill brackets. It has a fun, social, and friendly vibe with rules that are simple for beginners to learn but can develop into a fast-paced competitive game for the more experienced players. Pickleball can be played with two players … Read More

Celebrate Liberty 7.1K Course Guide

April 28, 2023

Written by Mike Ellsworth, Director of Outdoor Recreation

It has been quite a few years since we have created a new race at the Liberty University Outdoor Recreation department. The excitement has been building and we are feeling great about announcing this new addition to our trail race programming.  Partnered with Alumni, we are hosting our first annual running event that can be completed by anyone in the Liberty family!  Whether you are here in Lynchburg, an online student in Egypt or an alumnus in London, you can run with us!
Racejoy
Racejoy is the app that makes this event possible. We are working with our local timing company, Riverside Runners to host our event on Racejoy. Both events will use the integrative platform that allows you to have your own unique and personal race day experience!  Using the free app will provide you:

GPS tracking of your run. Including progress alerts, off-course alerts (if appropriate) and an interactive course map
A custom audio experience that features announcements and encouragements from our team!
Remote spectator cheer sending- you can send cheers and receive cheers from your family and friends!
Automatic result upload, live updates, and rankings

Event 1: Celebrate Liberty @ Liberty Mountain
This is an open trail, 7.1K challenge … Read More

Liberty’s Climbing Community

March 23, 2023

Written by Julie Rogers, Rock Wall Manager

The climbing community across the country has a reputation of being friendly and engaging to newcomers. The community at Liberty’s rock wall is no exception to that statement. At the LaHaye Rock Wall you will find a variety of students with different majors and interests all coming together to enjoy one hobby. The rock wall is a wonderful place to get involved and interact with a unique mixture of the Liberty student population. This spring semester we have many events and ways to be involved.
First Time at the Rock Wall?
When visiting a new place or trying out an activity for the first time ever, there are always fears of the unknown in not knowing what to expect. Hopefully this information will answer some questions for any newcomers. When arriving at the rock wall you will be greeted by our amazing staff members at our equipment checkout desk. They will direct you to swipe in your flames pass and ask you what kind of climbing you are looking to partake in. We have the options of bouldering (which does not require a harness) and route climbing on the tower (which requires the use of our auto … Read More

Ask And You Shall Receive

March 10, 2023

Written by Kailey Bandara, Intramural Sports Coordinator

In the Intramural Sports department, we hand out surveys at the conclusion of every tournament and league because we truly want to hear feedback from the participants. We try to provide the best possible service every year, and it is only by hearing from the students that we can make effective changes. While some that have competed may have been annoyed by having to take these surveys, they might not be complaining when they see the changes or additions we make from semester to semester.
Increased Interest in Pickleball
While we wish we could offer any sport you could think of, realistically that is just not possible. However, when we continued to see on our surveys that students were asking for pickleball, we were shocked due to it having the stereotype of being a “senior sport” only. Much to our surprise, pickleball is USA’s fastest-growing sport. In fact, in the last two-year period, it has seen a growth rate of 39.3% while the number of players playing pickleball has nearly doubled in the last seven years. In addition to all of that, perhaps the most relevant statistic is that 27.8% of players are in the age … Read More

Shoot the Breeze

February 10, 2023

Written by James Williams, Range Safety Officer

Shotguns are multi-purpose pieces of equipment that can be used for a variety of outdoor activities. Hunting, self-defense, and competition are some of the main uses with this style of firearm. Within competition shotgun sports, machines are used to throw orange clay targets that are also called “birds”. The shooter says “Pull!” which signals they are ready for their bird to be thrown. Here at Liberty Mountain Gun Club, we have three main games we offer. These games include trap, skeet, and five stand.
Trap
The game of trap involves one machine located in front of five shooters. The shooters are oriented in a horizontal line, equally spaced out. The machine will be directly in front of the middle shooter. The machine rotates 22 degrees to the left or right randomly before every bird is thrown. The shooters go one at a time starting at the left and moving right. Once the last shooter has gone, the first shooter on the left goes again. This process is done five times. After those five shots, everyone moves one station to the right. The person on the far right rotates all the way around to the left. The game … Read More

80’s Step Aerobics

January 27, 2023

Written by Emma Kongs, Group Exercise Manager

Whether you have seen it in a classic ’80s movie or participated in the Wii Fit version, step aerobics is often one of the top classes people think of when asked about group fitness. But how did step classes become so popular, and how are they making a resurgence today? Want to step into a class soon? Below is a little backstory and the potential benefits of the classic step aerobics class.
History
The ’80s were full of big hair, bright colors, and the increased popularity of group exercise classes. Early in 1982, aerobic dance workouts were all the rage; however, there was a substantial increase in injuries to participants and instructors due to the high intensity of classes and lack of modifications for beginners. Gin Miller, a well-known instructor at the time, suffered from continual stress fractures due to the high intensity of aerobic dance workouts. To rehab the injury, Gin was told by her doctor to step up and down on a milk crate. This sparked the idea of a low-impact workout that anyone, whether beginner or expert, could accomplish. The first aerobic step classes were choreographed at a slower pace with simple choreography, with … Read More

Training Loft Conversion

December 2, 2022

Written by Nathaniel Hutton, Facilities Coordinator

The training loft at LaHaye Recreation & Fitness Center has been a staple for high-intensity/CrossFit® style workouts. Due to unforeseen circumstances, it went through some changes beginning in the Fall of 2022, transforming the space into an all-purpose training loft with new equipment for all styles of workouts.
Rig Movement
As you make your way into the training loft, you will see that the Rogue rig is gone. No, we did not get rid of such a great piece of equipment. You can find the rig on the lower level next to the LaHaye Rock Wall. The rig located in the lower level still provides the opportunity for members to achieve that high-intensity/CrossFit® style workout. Concept 2 cardio equipment is available for members to use alongside the rig, as well as four Olympic lifting platforms, so members can perform lifts and have access to a pull-up bar within seconds. This is critical for high-intensity style workouts.
What to Look Forward to
With the rig being out of the training loft, there are many new opportunities available for members to take advantage of. Since the rig was removed, wall-mounted pull-up bars have been installed for high-intensity workouts. Cable machines are now … Read More

Why You Should Play Disc Golf

November 11, 2022

Written by Jake Hilbish, Liberty Mountain Facilities Coordinator

I play disc golf for a lot of reasons. I mean, there are TONS of excuses to get out on one of the three disc golf courses at Liberty University. It’s affordable, it’s fun, and it’s a challenging sport to master. It can be relaxing, help you connect with friends and family, and makes a great tool to network with new people. The community is awesome and is made up of really great people. It can help you get fit, it’s easy to learn, and absolutely anyone can play it. Have I persuaded you yet?
Health
Disc golf is a healthy recreational activity with a low entry barrier. Unlike traditional golf, there are no golf carts on most courses so you walk the whole time. Most courses in the local area are about 5,000-6,000 feet long. If you’re looking to get those steps in, this is a great way to do it. It is also a great way to care for your mental health and find peace. The sport allows me to go into nature and shift my focus away from the daily grind. I have spoken with many other players who feel the same way, … Read More

Try Something New

October 28, 2022

Written by Kailey Bandara, Intramural Sports Coordinator

As an extremely competitive person involved in sports my whole life, I can say firsthand that I, personally, do not like doing activities I am not good at. I believe you play to win, and I always stuck to what I was good at and never branched out. But how do you get good at something you have never done? By trying something new. According to sports research, constantly introducing new and different strategies for physical activity and life skills can allow individuals to have more ‘tools’ in their toolbox to handle general life stressors. When it comes to Intramurals, trying a new sport that you have never done before could be just the thing you need this year!
Areas of Increased Interest
Two of the sports that we offer have seen a huge increase in numbers and overall interest because students have decided to get their hall on a team and try them out. The first sport is broomball. Have you ever even heard of what broomball is? It is essentially ice hockey but with a ball instead of a puck and you wear regular closed-toed shoes instead of skates! Trying not to slip while getting … Read More

Life, School, Friends, Gym… How to Fit it All In

September 30, 2022

Written by Sarah Yoder, Graphic Designer

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, mustering up motivation and finding time in your schedule to keep up physical fitness can be quite challenging. Now try adding collegiate academics into that mix. It often seems extremely difficult, almost impossible, to keep up with everything that needs to be done, let alone get a workout and consistent exercise in. For those who are just beginning their college experience (or even students who have been in school previously) and want to learn how to balance their health and fitness while in college, below are several valuable and informative tips!
Structure a schedule, prioritize, and take it one day at a time.
While this may sound like some cheesy advice you’ve heard from your mom or teacher already, creating a prioritized schedule and focusing on what needs to get done each day truly is a game-changer. This is especially true when it comes to trying to find extra time outside of classes and homework for additional activities such as exercising, hanging out with friends, and taking care of yourself.
The amount of time you have during each day, week, and month is a known quantity. This is an extremely helpful factor when creating a schedule. It … Read More