Loyola students interested in getting their kicks by playing intramural soccer on the weekends will have to look toward other athletic avenues. The Recreational Sports and Athletics department ruled to cut back the intramural soccer program starting with this season.

Sean Casey, program director, said he feels many students do not fully understand what the department has done to intramural soccer.

“There seems to be a misconception among the students concerning soccer. We have not completely cut soccer off the calendar,” Case said. “Instead of playing in league competition, we are going to set up a weekend tournament for those interested in playing.”

Financial reasons led the list of reasons. Loyola had five intramural sports that required officials last season: basketball, volleyball, flag football, floor hockey and soccer. Of the “big five,” soccer had the least participants with only 17 teams last season, 13 men’s and four women’s teams. The fall of the budget then forced Loyola to slap the financial handcuffs on soccer.

“We know that the changes aren’t in the students favor, but we hope the tournament will make up for the cancellation of league play,” Casey said.

Even with the planned tournament, the decision does not sit well with many students. “It makes me mad they stopped it. It was a lot of fun, and a lot of people were interested in soccer,” John Wilhelm, biology sophomore, said. Parker Bigley, business junior, said he feels other sports should have suffered the cut first. “Walleyball only has four teams participating this year, and the interest has been low for the past three years,” Bigley said. “Why didn’t they drop Walleyball instead of soccer?”

Walleyball is self-officiated, thus requiring no officials. Though Walleyball interest is low, the activity is extremely inexpensive to run.

“Soccer requires a lot more supervision, the facility is used for a longer time period, and paid officials must be used,” Casey said. “Officials are the biggest cost. That is why a self-officiated sport like Walleyball was kept and soccer was changed.”

The weekend tournament, the consolation prize for losing intramural soccer, has already been planned. The indoor tournament will require a $20 entry fee and $10 forfeit deposit that will be refunded if the team does not forfeit. There will be two playing divisions, men’s and women’s. The format will be double elimination play, allowing each team two games. It’s scheduled for the Nov. 20-22 weekend; times will be announced.

A swift return for intramural soccer appears dubious, but Casey said he feels the format might be able to be changed for the next season.

“We definitely do not want to raise the starting fee any higher, the students already pay enough for these activities,” said Casey. “But if enough students show interest, soccer could be reinstated for next season.”

Meanwhile, the students interested in soccer must wait and look toward the future.

“I think the Rec. Plex is insensitive to the needs of a large majority of students who enjoy soccer. Hopefully they will think of other alternatives for next season,” Bubba Roush, business junior, said.