Student Life and Ministry continues to fight low attendance at some intramural sporting events

There are fewer sights sadder than a set of cornhole boards going unused on a beautiful day. However, that’s exactly what happened at the cornhole tournament on Wednesday.

In the Peace Quad, as students lined up for free doughnuts and enjoyed the late September sunshine, the tailgate game sat gathering dust. Most students were unaware that the competition was even scheduled to take place. Disappointing turnout at some intramural events is unfortunately something that Student Life and Ministry has been getting used to.

The department has struggled to get students to take part in intramural competitions. Cornhole is just the latest event to suffer from low attendance, with recent billiards and ping pong tournaments meeting similar fates. The departent office has wondered if the artistic nature of Loyola’s student body is to blame for the widespread apathy towards some intramurals.

“It’s a small liberal arts school” said Student Life and Ministry Coordinator Obinna Moneme. “Most kids have a music or art background.”

Moneme cited the low numbers of students who attend even less structured events like basketball open gyms as emblematic of the student body’s general disinterest in sports. However, some students had a different take on why the cornhole tournament couldn’t get off the ground.

Music education freshman Cy Jones said she “had no idea cornhole was even happening,” but if she’d been aware of the tournament she definitely would’ve competed. She felt that if more students were aware of the event it would’ve had a significantly larger turn out.

“We’re college kids. We like dumb things,” said Jones.

Student Life and Ministry posted an announcement about the tournament on their Instagram account a few hours before the competition was scheduled to start, however the post received very little engagement.

“I think they should’ve posted something much earlier. said political scidence freshman Abbey Herbert. “The morning of is not good.”

Despite the lack of student engagement in recent intramural events, Student Life and Ministry will continue to put on intramural sports events for the benefit of Loyola’s student body.