As the school year has progressed, Lion Period has evolved. Originally, Lion Period was supposed to hold intramural leagues during B Block and C Block.
“Students will be able to participate in the newly created SV Leagues that will take place during Lion B and C,” said Doctor Erika Mickelburgh at the beginning of the school year. She stated there would be two types of intramurals: league and homeroom. The league intramurals were going to be for more competitive students and a variety of leagues such as flag football and volleyball were proposed.
The homeroom intramurals were for students who were just looking for some fun during Lion Period. These were going to include activities like bags, cup stacking, Spikeball, and similar, low-stakes games.
Surprisingly, these intramural leagues never really got off the ground. Perhaps this was due to lack of interest. Ultimately, Lion B and C evolved into Open Gym.
Open Gym allows for students to come to Cahill to play basketball or volleyball. Recently, Coach Nicholas Sobieszczyk ‘05 has added some structure to Open Gym. He has divided the gym into two halves: one for playing competitive games and one for just shooting around.
“I like that you have the option to either play against others or just practice your skills,” said junior Dom Pecoraro. While the recently added structure promotes an opportunity for movement, community, and enjoyment for everyone, there are still those who would prefer an intramural league.
“I would prefer if they did a Lion Period League with set teams and tournament style play,” said junior Lance Flanagan. Like all new initiatives, Lion Period requires reflection and discussion. There are many groups who would prefer to have league play, but there are also students who would prefer to just have fun. While Lion Period has evolved, there is still room for improvement. The idea of utilizing some Lion Period time for stress relief and fun through intramurals is smart. With multiple gyms and students who enjoy both having fun and the challenge of competition, maybe both can happen.