Category: RAC

For the Love of the Game : Men’s Club Rugby

Looking back at 1965, Rick Stafford and George Wiltshire didn’t know that they would be starting the first intercollegiate sport at George Mason University – Men’s Rugby. When asked how it all began, Stafford took us on a trip down memory lane and explained that he was simply walking through the Ordinary (the student lounge in 1965) when he came across a sign that read: “Call this number if interested in playing rugby”. He and Wiltshire were curious and found themselves playing with the Washington Rugby Club. After the game, they both agreed that they were hooked. Stafford went far enough to say, “Rugby became an addiction”. Immediately, they began gathering players to create a team. Stafford and Wiltshire give credit to Neb Turner, the Dean of Students at the time, who helped recruit Mason students to play. “I have to give credit to Neb Turner” Wiltshire said; Turner played rugby at the University of Virginia and wanted a team at Mason. Stafford said that Turner would interview students and then “would pick the athletic guys and point them our way”. Turner was a big help to the two co-founders, adding to their success in recruiting students for the team. When they needed players, they went into the Ordinary, asked if anyone wanted to learn how to play and students would be willing to check it out. When asked about the recruiting process, Wiltshire replied with a chuckle. Despite being praised as the founders of the oldest intercollegiate sport in school history, Stafford and Wiltshire are humble men who give much credit to the people around them.

It has been 50 years since Rick Stafford and George Wiltshire started GMU’s Men’s Club Rugby team. This past weekend, all of the team’s alumni were invited to celebrate their 50th season as a club sport. Former players from every decade came out to the West Campus fields to watch the George Mason Patriots take on the John Hopkins Blue Jays. It was a celebration for both the alumni and current rugby team. The alumni celebrated their past work and the current players celebrated beating John Hopkins by a score of 36-24. Rick Stafford was asked about the team’s play and said, “ they have some good instincts and are clearly led by a quality coaching staff”; George Wiltshire added, “Mason was good at getting rid of the ball just like they were 50 years ago.” To end the day, Stafford and Wiltshire were asked if they ever play rugby nowadays. Both men chuckled at the thought with one of them saying, “Twenty-two years is enough.” At the end of the day, the alumni event was a great success – full of laughs, smiles, shared memories, and a winning team. Rick Stafford and George Wiltshire are a reminder to us all for why we play sports. It is not for the fame, it is not for the glory, and it is not to beat up your friends or opponents. We play, simply, for the love of the game.

Summer Hours of Operation

Recreation Facility Summer Hours

All facility hours will adjust for the summer months beginning on Thursday, May 14^th.

Aquatic and Fitness Center (AFC):

Monday-Friday 6a-9p

Saturday 8a-7p

Sunday 9a-9p

*Pools will close 30 minutes before the facility

**In observation of Independence Day, the AFC will close at 12p on July 4

Recreation and Athletic Complex (RAC):

Monday-Friday 12p-8p

*In observation of Memorial Day and Independence Day, the RAC will be closed on May 25 and July 4

Skyline Fitness:

Skyline Fitness will close at 6p on Wednesday, May 13 for the summer and will re-open in August.

Graduating Senior Estefania Luna

Estefania Luna

Estefania is more than meets the eye. Beneath her calm exterior is a committed and driven young lady.

After regularly working out in the Mason Rec facilities since being a freshman, Estefania applied for the Customer Service Associate and was hired as a CSA 1. She soon moved up to be a CSA 2 and this spring, she took on the role of MOD to round out her customer service work.

With her work in Integrative Studies with a concentration in Organizational Administration through New Century College, Estefania feels like she’s been able to use her studies to help in her work for Mason Rec. She explains, “I feel like Mason Recreation empowers their student employees and helps them grow as leaders both professionally and personally. They take a special interest in developing us as leaders. I’ve seen how my leadership style impacts staff and guests and I’ve learned that every action has a reaction.”

She adds, “I work with great people. I love coming to work. I’ve been working since I was 15 and this is the only place I can say I wanted to come to work every day.” Her hard work paid off as last fall she received the honor of employee of the semester.

But there’s a side to Estefania that some might not know about.

Estefania moved from Mexico to America with her parents as a 7-year-old. Here, she and her family quickly blended into the American way of life. She says the longer they were here, the more they lost their culture.

To learn more about being Latino, as a freshman, Estefania joined the Hispanic Student Association (HSA). After her freshman year, she decided to take on a more active role, so during her sophomore year she shadowed some of the executive board members during their event planning. Her junior year she became Historian and this year she serves as Vice President. The HSA Board meets weekly to plan events including community service and educational activities such as International Week and an annual HSA gala for families to experience their students receiving their stoles.

Estefania feels the HSA educates and connects Latino students to each other and to their culture. She says, “Some students are first generation, and some have simply lost their culture since coming to America. The HSA wants to make sure they keep their Hispanic culture alive.”

Through her work with Mason Rec and the HSA, Estefania says she’s enjoyed her time at Mason. She says she sees herself as a professional in the corporate world someday. Until then, she’s open to where life takes her.

Estefania graduates in May with a degree in Integrative Studies with a concentration in Organizational Administration.

By Jennifer Lehman, MS RYT

Should You Workout with a Partner?

We hear it all the time, whether it is from our super fit friend or one of the trainers at the gym, “workout with a partner!” Is it worth it? Does it actually help you maximize your workout potential? Or is iShouSht just another way for your best friend, Amanda, the marathon addict, to keep pestering you about going on a run with her? Mason Rec dug into some research to answer these questions for you and we found a resounding “yes!” Here is some of the most compelling research we came across:

The Maryland Athletic Club (MAC) has five huge reasons why you should workout with a partner:

A workout buddy provides motivation. The days you don’t want to work out, he or she will get you out the door. The days he/she feels like skipping, you will get her to the gym. When you want to give up completely, he/she will talk you into sticking with your plan.
They serve as spotters. Your partner can help spot you, keeping your workouts safer yet more challenging at the same time.
They increase your exercise arsenal. There are numerous strength moves you can do with your partner, like crunches with a medicine ball, partner pushups and leg tosses. These are fun and very effective.
They provide companionship. Working out can be lonely, especially long cardio sessions. Having a friend next to you to talk with while you slave away on the elliptical can make the time fly by.
They provide competition. Let’s be honest: We as human beings like to compete with one another. Try finding a workout partner who is just a little more fit than you are. By trying to keep up with them, you will challenge yourself in ways that you cannot do alone.

If these five reasons don’t get you to the gym with your newfound workout partner, maybe this will:

In 2012 The Society of Behavioral Medicine conducted the following study and found some pretty strong evidence that we should be partnering up before we hit the gym more often. Their study consisted of three groups of people that rode bikes in three different conditions. The first group rode their bikes independently. The second group rode their bikes with a virtual workout partner—a screen that looped video of someone also riding a bike (therefore the virtual partner could never rest before the live partner). The third group rode their bikes with a partner and was also informed that their performance would directly affect their partner’s. What were their results? The first group lasted an average of 10.6 minutes before having to rest, the second group lasted 19.8 minutes, and the third group lasted 21.9 minutes. That’s an 87% difference between riding independently and with a virtual partner, while riding with an actual partner doubled the amount of time spent riding. Quite literally, then, exercising with a partner can double your results.

By now, you’re searching for your ultimate workout partner! Once you’ve found them, be sure to head to the RAC’s Cage Gym on February 10^th at 8pm to take part in Be My Fit Valentine. If you find yourself still searching by Tuesday morning, come anyway! Partner planks are an awesome first date! Mason Recreation encourages all couples to attend, whether you want to workout with your boyfriend, your sister, your teammate, or your best friend, we will see you there!

National Compliment Day – January 24, 2015 by Jennifer Lehman

Compliments at the Recreation & Athletic Complex

Most of us enjoy receiving compliments. “Your hair looks great today!” “That was a great game you played!” “Your presentation was fantastic!” We enjoy the feeling we get when we’ve been sincerely complimented and it makes us feel good about ourselves. Compliments help to build our self-esteem and encourage us to continue to work hard. By genuinely complimenting others, we provide them with the same uplifting experience. We also help to build positive relationships with others, and by making others feel good, we in turn also feel good!

National Compliment Day is January 24, 2105. Think about how you can impact others. Take opportunities throughout that day to sincerely compliment your fellow students, friends and anyone you feel deserves a compliment. As the saying goes, “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving!”

Stay Fit for the Holidays – by Jennifer Lehman, MS RYT

The holidays can wreck even the most dedicated exerciser’s routine. With a schedule filled with visits from friends and family, shopping, and fun, maintaining your regular fitness program can be a real challenge. You can throw in the towel and wait until January to get back to your regular workouts, but that means you’ll lose some of the progress you’ve already made. Instead, you can schedule activities that will easily fit into your busy schedule. Below are a few ways to stay fit for the holidays.

Wherever you are for the holidays, look for ways to keep moving. If you’re in the mountains, ski, hike, or snowboard. If you’re on the coast, spend time walking on the beach or riding bikes. Plan family outings around physical activity that everyone can enjoy and provides time away from the hustle bustle.
Even during the busiest days, most people can schedule 30 minutes of some type of activity. Walking and running are easy to squeeze into a tight schedule. Or if you’re out and about and can swing by your local fitness center for a quick 30 minute workout, do it! Plan ahead and have workout clothes with you just in case.
Before your shopping day begins, take a few laps around each floor of the mall. That will give you time to window shop and work off a few calories!
Buy a short term holiday membership at your local fitness center. Most facilities offer a student or teacher membership for those who are only home for a few weeks.
Put together a body weight workout that can be done anywhere. A quick set of pushups, jumping jacks, squats, and sit ups can help to maintain your fitness level if you don’t have access to a gym.

Finding time to exercise might be a challenge, but it’s absolutely doable. Keep staying active top of mind and you’ll see you have extra time. By carefully planning how you can keep moving throughout the holidays, you will maintain or even increase your fitness level! So stay fit for the holidays!

Home for the Holidays!

You can’t wait to sleep in your own bed and to get a home-cooked meal from Mom! Seeing your family and friends sounds like a dream! But keep in mind that you’ve been on your own for several months and going back home could be a strain on you and on those you love. Keep the following tips in mind when going home for the holidays.

Offer to help. While your parents may be anxious to have you back home and to “take care” of their college student, be sure to chip in and help with things like laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc. This will show them that you’re growing into a responsible adult and will provide everyone with a more shared holiday experience.

Honor your family’s time. Your personal schedule is more than likely different from your parent’s. While home on break, your parents may still be working. Offer to run errands while they’re at work so they have more time to spend with you while you’re home. Also, be sure to keep things quiet at night so that your family can get their needed sleep for work as well as for all the family festivities.

Honor your friend’s time. You’ll want to visit with friends who went off to their own colleges and with those who stayed at home. Remember that those who have been away at school need to spend time with their families too. Be sure to coordinate so that everyone has ample time to spend with all their loved ones.

Maintain, or begin a good diet. This can be challenging during a holiday season filled with cookies, candies, and rich holiday foods, but try to minimize indulging in these foods every day. By eating a mostly healthy diet during the holidays, you’ll decrease the chance you’ll gain holiday weight and you might even decrease your weight since you’ll be eating Mom’s home cooked meals!

Get lots of rest. While tempting to stay up every night with your friends and family, be sure to recover from the hard work you did during the Fall Semester and to prepare for the Spring Semester. Not only will rest allow you to clear your mind and to get ready for Spring, but rest is critical in maintaining good health during the cold and flu season.

Going home for the holidays can be as amazing as you hope it is. Remember to pitch in and be a contributing member of the family. Mom and Dad will appreciate your assistance and will be proud of the young adult you are!