Category: Intramurals

Refereeing is in his blood.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Brian began refereeing basketball games at the age of 14. He had a real knack for it, so he continued to referee for rec leagues and local high school games through high school and into college.  During his junior year at Mason, he was offered a position as a referee for Mason Rec.  He accepted and eventually became Intramural Program Assistant.

As an Intramural Program Assistant, Brian had the opportunity to get involved with NIRSA and applied to be an official for a University of Georgia basketball tournament.  His application was accepted making him the first basketball official from Mason to step outside the tristate area for many years.

During the summer of 2014 Brian was rated a full varsity official by Cardinal Officials Basketball Association and attended the learning camp (Stripes Academy) for the National Basketball Association. That fall, he was one of only two officials selected from Mason for a University of Maryland NCS Regional tournament as well as for a tournament at the University of Central Florida in 2015.

In addition to his officiating accomplishments, Brian is currently the Intramural Sports Intern.  His responsibilities include organizing a VRSA basketball tournament, organizing the Mason Open Golf Tournament, and taking the lead in training for Mason Rec officials.

After graduation, Brian says he wants to take some time off to improve his resume’ and to figure out what he really wants to do.  He plans on taking classes and continuing to work.  He thinks he’ll eventually apply for graduate assistantships in sports marketing or competitive sports.  He explains, “My degree is really a business degree that’s industry specific.  I want to eventually get my MBA in marketing and then maybe attend law school.  I think I’d like to stay in higher education or corporate.”

Brian says, “I have mentors who I look up to.  Jeremy Hans, our Intramural Coordinator, has been like a brother to me.  I got the opportunity to speak at VRSA with Jeremy and it was a great experience. I’ve learned a lot from him.”  He adds, “I think it’s about building relationships and connecting so that you can get a leg up.  Through Mason Rec and getting the chance to work in NIRSA and with VRSA, I’ve been able to make those connections.”

Brian graduates in May with a degree in RHT with concentration in Sports Management.

By Jennifer Lehman, MS RYT

 

Alex lives by the motto ‘You can always be better – a better referee, a better player, better in fitness.” That personal credo has carried him from being family-oriented and an excellent athlete, to being a stellar student and employee.

Alex grew up in Glen Allen, VA with four sisters: two older and two younger. He takes his job as brother seriously by setting a good example in whatever he does. He’s been an athlete his entire life starting with pee wee soccer at the age of 4. As he grew up, he played football, basketball, track, baseball, ice hockey and swimming.   In high school he won the state champion gold medal for butterfly and the bronze medal for breast stroke. After coming to Mason, Alex continued to participate in sports by joining some of the intramural teams.

During his sophomore year, he applied to be a referee for intramural so he could make some extra money to pay his bills. Soon after, he realized it was also an opportunity for personal growth. Alex was an official for one year and became a supervisor the next year where he continues as program assistant and staff development program assistant.

Alex is also the Extramural basketball team captain. Their recent participation at the University of Maryland Basketball Tournament proved to be a success. While they lost their game with Maryland after winning the first two pool games, making them a number two seed, they finished with the 2^nd best record for the tournament. He says, “Extramural ball gives the younger guys an understanding of how important it is to practice and what’s needed to be competitive. It’s fun to play with a group of guys you don’t really hang out with and then you learn about them as you practice and play.” Alex credits his Dad for instilling respect and humility into him. He says he wants to be an ambassador of fun and the embodiment of good sportsmanship to promote a safe and competitive environment for sports.

Alex feels like Mason is what you make of it. He says, “Since it’s a commuter school, some people just come and go without really connecting. But Mason has a ton of ways to get connected. There’s always something to do. Living on campus, the smaller sense of community makes it easy to connect.”

He adds, “Mason Recreation really represents making the best of the Mason experience. People who live on campus have three great centers to go to. If you go to the gym, you get to know the people who are always there. With fitness, you can get better, have fun, and get involved in a positive way. Recreation is so important in college. It becomes part of your life and fosters a healthy lifestyle.   With sports there’s always a way to get involved. I’ll probably play basketball as long as my body will let me.”

Alex graduates in May with a degree in Government and International Politics. He’ll be attending the University of Oklahoma starting Summer 2015 and will work as their Intramural Sports Graduate Assistant.

 

By Jennifer Lehman, MS RYT

 

Labeled a natural athlete by her youth / school coaches and teammates, Rachel Stepien says she’s been in sports her whole life. In her hometown of Robbinsville, NJ, she grew up hearing she was very coachable and a good athlete. She enjoyed playing sports and making friends in her small hometown and it became part of her every-day life.

Rachel’s parents considered her to be an energetic child. They first enrolled her in pee wee soccer and she progressively moved into other sports. In high school she played basketball, lacrosse, softball, and track. In fact, Rachel made Varsity Basketball as a freshman. She says school sports are where she made most of her friends.

After arriving at Mason, Rachel began working out at the Mason Recreation fitness centers. Spring of 2012, she applied to be an official for intramural sports and soon after began working on a regular basis. Rachel says, “I’ve always been independent, so when I came to Mason from out of state, I wanted to make sure I was financially set. I was at the gym working out and playing ball anyway, so I thought working there would be the perfect fit!” She says while being involved in sports her whole life, being an official is completely different. “It makes you look at play from a different perspective. You can’t have any biases.” Since then, she’s worked for Mason Recreation as an official for intramural sports and is currently also working as a program assistant and supervisor.

Rachel says, “Mason Recreation made my transition from a small town to such a large school easier. Working out at the Recreation facilities, and then also working for them, helped me find a positive niche. It’s a place to go to and find friends to connect with.” She recommends both working out and working for Mason Rec. “You just have to take the initial step to get involved. Everyone here is doing the same thing so it’s easy to make friends. I feel like In college everyone is in the same place – finding themselves, so being able to experience that with people who have similar interests gives you a group to rely on.”

She believes she’s learned a lot from working at Mason Recreation explaining. “I’ve learned time-management as well as other transferable skills such as conflict resolution and prioritizing. Plus I’ve learned you can’t make everyone happy. You need to prioritize what’s really important to you. Too many people try to make everyone else happy and put others first. I learned that I need to think about what’s important to me and to not try to impress others.”

Rachel is graduating in May with a degree in Psychology and a minor in business.

by Jennifer Lehman, MS RYT

In August, four Mason Intramural students attended the 4^th Annual Suncoast Flag Football Official’s Workshop in Tampa Bay, Florida. Julian Felder, Luigi Fernandez, Austin Post and Will Adams, along with students from other universities, attended the workshop to learn from some of the best flag football clinicians in the business. While there, they trained on Saturday and most of Sunday, but they also had some time for fun.

According to Luigi and Julian, they decided to go because they thought it would be a good learning experience. Luigi, a junior majoring in Sports Management, says that he learned the basics and the mechanics of refereeing flag football. He says, “I believe I was fairly successful this season because I attended the clinic.” Julian, a senior also in Sports Management and a referee supervisor this year, says that he learned how to teach others to referee. Austin, a sophomore studying Criminology, says he felt honored to be able to go and to learn from the best of the best. He states, “The experience was great! I feel like after attending the beginner course I came back knowing what to do.”

Austin describes the after-hours bowling event the clinic put on as at time to meet other students who also attended the workshop. While socializing, they had time to find out how intramural programs are run at other schools. Before returning home, the four got to visit Clearwater Beach and do some indoor surfing.

They all agree they would recommend the clinic to others. Julian says, “I’d recommend it for both new and returning referees because they cater to exactly what participants are interested in.” Luigi agrees. He says, “It felt like a professional business trip. I went feeling uneasy. But when I left, I felt confident in my abilities.”