Matadors celebrated National Recreation Sports and Fitness Day Thursday with an obstacle course on the Student Recreation Center field.
Audrey Martinez, events supervisor for the USU, said, “Matador Recreation Day is about promoting health, fitness, and wellness, while being free for all CSUN students.”
Information tents were located in the walkway between the USU and the SRC. The booths were hosted by organizations including the Oasis Wellness Center, Alive and Well Peer Health, the Klotz Student Health Center, Coaching Corps, and the Boxing and Training Program offered by the SRC.
One of the booths with many visitors nearly the entire time belonged to Coaching Corps.
“Our program is a nonprofit that gives kids in low-income families between the ages of five and 17 an opportunity to play sports,” representative Samantha Hendry said. “We offer a lot of different sports from basketball to soccer to many others. By volunteering two to three hours of your time a week, you can help provide these children with an opportunity they might not otherwise have.”
In conjunction with the Klotz center, the Alive and Well Peer Health tent representative Bedros Babekian offered a wide variety of information available to students through their organization.
“Some options we offer include workshops focusing on college health issues like stress management and sexual health presentations,” Babekian said.
An e-mail was also recently sent out by the Klotz center in regards to the National College Health Assessment. Attached was a survey for students to let their voices be heard in hopes of the campus being able to better identify students’ health needs. The short questionnaire allows students to share their ideas on what programs could possibly be instituted on campus.
Students who explored all of the healthy living options presented at the various tents located on the SRC walkway were able to receive free food provided by Shake Smart. They also received entry to a raffle for a gift card.
The physical activities portion, located on the SRC field, offered fun fitness options for students, no matter how much or little into fitness they may be. Activities included target practice, throwing footballs through hoops, a roller raceway with giant hamster balls, static rowing, sleighs and an extreme obstacle course. Students who finished the entire obstacle course received a free shirt and a medal. They were also entered into a raffle to win a fan pack that included apparel and a CSUN backpack.
Senior marketing major Austin Pasamba appeared to be a student more into fitness as he quickly completed the obstacle course, muscles flexing and all.
“This event was really cool, and it’s nice to see that our campus puts on an event promoting healthy living,” Pasamba said. “I’ve never heard of friends’ campuses putting on something like this. I learned a lot of new stuff from the info booths as well.”
