By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor
The intramural waterball tournament has been rescheduled for next semester because of complications brought on by a broken heater in the Gibson swimming pool.
The tournament was rescheduled for Jan. 22, 23 and 25 when the pool broke before Thanksgiving break.
Although the replacement heater was installed on Monday, the preparation of the pool would not be ready in time before finals week, so the Intramural Department pushed the tournament back, said Susan Hardcastle, administrative coordinator for intramurals.
Hardcastle said because the tournament takes three days to complete and intramurals aren’t allowed to take place during finals week, there wasn’t enough time to complete the tournament during the fall semester.
“At this point we are just going to have to move the tournament back,” Hardcastle said.
For some people, especially men’s social clubs, the delay of the tournament is very frustrating.
Some teams have players who will graduate in December, meaning they may not be able to play in the tournament they have been working toward during the past month; one such team is No. 1 team for men’s social club Gamma Sigma Phi.
“I think this will have a big effect on how the tournament plays out,” said GSP Team Garza captain Taylor Reid, senior social justice major from Austin. “Both myself and our other team captain will be moving away at the end of the semester and won’t be able to play in the tournament.”
Reid said despite the possible absence of some of GSP’s players, he is confident his team is still one of the best and they still have a very good chance to win it all.
The GSP team is not the only team affected by the rescheduling of the tournament.
Cameron Hartsell, member of a Frater Sodalis waterball team, said he is disappointed that GSP is losing players also.
“If weÕre going to win I want the beat the whole team,” said Hartsell, senior political science major from Gilmer. “I want to win right; I donÕt want to just play half of their guys.”
Despite the disappointment, the problem is out of the hands of the teams and the intramural offices.
Waterball began on Nov. 8 and the only two undefeated teams after the regular season games ended the No. 1 teams of menÕs social clubs Frater Sodalis and Gamma Sigma Phi. The two teams, Frat 1 and GSP Garza, both competed in the championship game last year and are expected to meet again in the championships this year.
Although waterball was postponed, the 3-2 intramural softball tournament will still be played this semester. The tournament is slated for Friday and Saturday at the intramural softball field on Campus court.
