Campus Recreation recently restarted in-person activities and friendly competition, with participants following all appropriate health protocols.
Activities, free and open to SUNY Oswego students, will take place within Swetman Gym in the Marano Campus Center.
"I am very excited that Swetman Gym is open and to provide the open recreation opportunities to our students in basketball shoot around, badminton and pickleball," said Sandra Keenan, assistant director of Campus Life - Campus Recreation.
"The benefits of participation in these activities are endless and may help students with being more active and socializing with peers while following the college's safety guidelines," Keenan said. "After 11 months it is time to get back into the gym and have fun while encouraging our students to make healthy choices."
Basketball shoot around, a staple daily event from 2 to 9 p.m., will take place on two courts with a maximum of two players per court.
In addition, reservations are available for badminton or pickleball games, with one court for two participants. Badminton is available from 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, and pickleball from 2 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays; equipment for either sport is available for checkout. If there are no reservations for these games in these slots, Campus Recreation will set up an additional basketball court or two.
Participants should make online reservations in advance to ensure access. Recreations cover 45-minute sessions beginning at the top of any hour from 2 to 8 p.m. on days these activities run. To provide opportunities to as many interested attendees as possible, for now participants can make a maximum of three reservations per week.
Walk-ins will be permitted if open slots are available.
Water bottles are permitted in the gym. Participants can store their personal belongings to be stored in cubbies.
Keenan noted that future plans rely on other factors, but organizers look forward to when the health ecosystem can allow them to offer more opportunities for students.
"It is my hope that as restrictions get lifted that more activities can be added," Keenan said. "With COVID-19 impacting all campus recreation departments across the U.S., I feel we share the same sentiment -- we want to get back to offering rec sports to our students."
For more information, visit the Virtual Campus Recreation website.