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Show B2 SPORTS High schools, athletes flock to UVU wwir nav Track, soccer championships to join others held at Utah Valley y, By JORDAN JOHNSON Sports Writer Most look at college as an escape from high school. Those at UVU looking to avoid the melodramatics of high school sports, however, may be in for a surprise. For nearly a decade, UVU has been the proud host of multiple high school state championships and numerous athletic summer camps. With experienced coordinators such as Mark Hildebrand, Director-UCCU Center and Brent Brown Ballpark, UVU's reputation as a clean, user-friendly campus precedes itself. According to Hildebrand, the first high school state championship to take place at UVU was in 2001. Since then, the university has built a strong relationship based on quality, service, and dedication with coaches from all over the state as well as with the Utah High School Activities Association. "They like us, I hope," Hildebrand said with a smile It certainly appears that way. The yearly return of the women's volleyball, drill team, wrestling and baseball state championships, along with various summer camps, make UVU one of the most high school-friendly universities in Utah. "The high schools shop around and try to find facilities that are best for their particular events, and so they look at things like accessibility, location, and price is a big factor too," said Hildebrand. Conveniently located along the 1-15 in Orem, it comes as no surprise that UVU tops the list of prospective hosts. Hildebrand believes it is an amazingly devoted and hard-working staff that keeps teams and camps coming back year after year. Hildebrand wasn't hesitant in mentioning the many benefits of hosting such events. With hundreds of high school aged kids and their families attending the champion- GILBERT (ISNEROS/UVU REVIEW Utah Valley University hosts the high school championships for baseball, volleyball and wrestling. Soccer and track and field will soon move their championships to UVU as well. ships and camps, UVU has a remarkable opportunity to showcase not only its sports programs, but its campus as well. Hildebrand and his staff take extra care to provide an efficient and friendly service. They know for a lot of kids these events will be their first exposure to UVU, and they want the experience to be a good one. The university isn't the only benefactor. With hundreds of out-of-towners visiting Orem every year, the economy is also impacted in a positive way. The participants of the men's basketball camps, which will take place this month, stay at a local hotel. "[Coach Richard Hunsaker] does a team camp and he puts them [the kids] in a hotel which is conveniently across the street... you have the convenience of restaurants and hotels and it's in close proximity to a lot of other things, so kids like to come here for that reason," observed Hildebrand. Director of Athletics Michael Jacobsen said UVU will soon host the state championships for soccer and track and field. HS Championship Sites Football: University of Utah Volleyball: Utah Valley University Soccer: Rio Tinto Stadium Basketball: Weber St. Girls Basketball: Salt Lake CC Wrestling: Utah Valley University Baseball: Utah Valley University Softball: Valley Complex Track & Field: BYU LACROSSE FROM B1 "We had an outstanding team last year," attackman Austin Nielsen said. "We just have a really young team this year with a lot of potential." While their club status helps secure Division II standing, it serves as a double-edged sword when it comes to finances. The team provides its own transportation, equipment, and uses the empty practice fields behind the McKay Education Building. "At nationals, everyone rolled up in their tour buses," Andrews said. "We were in two Suburbans, a van we had rented from Enterprise, and a truck to hold all our gear." The cost? $5,000 out of pocket. The rewards have followed. Tyler "Spud" Spendlove and Kyle Olsen were named to the all-conference first team, and Olsen made Honorable Mention All-America. The sophomore midfielder heads a deep returning core for the 2012 season — a welcome relief after a year of newcomers. "One of the reasons he was named all-conference was because he never gives up," Andrews said. "He's always there for the ground balls. He's 6-foot, 160 pounds, lighter than a feather, but he can still "Before I leave in two years, I'd like to see it be one of those sports that people talk about at Utah Valley." High, is just part of the lacrosse talent emerging from Utah County. The sport has taken a unique hold south of Salt Lake, and schools such as Orem and Timpview have quickly given lacrosse a place alongside their mainstream sports. Andrews hopes UVU isn't far behind. "Lacrosse has always been one of those sports that's kind of in the corner," Andrews said. "Same with rugby. Before I leave in two years, I'd like to see it be one of those sports that people talk about at Utah Valley." -Jonothon Andrews, midfielder hit and lay out kids. Our last game he completely took out a kid, and it was pretty entertaining, to be honest. Olsen, who attended Orem Utah Valley University (UVU) Intramurals is a small, but rapidly growing part of the college's social scene. With spring classes over, however, that scene figures to shrink. "The summer is pretty dead around here," Shirley said. Because of this problem, the program is going to take more of an open field approach for the summer season. The fields will have a staff member during regular hours of operation (Monday-Thursday 5:00pm to 8:00pm and Saturdays 9:00am to 12:00pm) where people can show up, play, and just have a good time competing against fellow students. The summer program consists of basketball, flag football, soccer, and golf. The outdoor facilities for flag football and soccer are located behind the ROTC building. The re- mainder of the activities use other various parts of the school campus. Robb Shirley, the new director of the intramurals program, has a plan to change how the program is run. Shirley wants the league to be considered an essential part of UVU culture. To make this happen, the facilities have been upgraded and the program has been strategically advertised throughout the campus. In fact, because of how difficult some of the facilities are to find, UVU has purchased land on Geneva road for the program. Because of all the attention the program has received, the intramural programs have almost doubled in size. Students that are interested in joining the intramurals program will need to register at www.IMLeagues.com. Once registered, a student can join + Donate blood-plasma twice a week + Provide treatments to countless number of children and adults + Used for burns, shock and other life threatening conditions Biomat USA, Inc. 349 East University Pkwy Orem, UT 84058 Must provide photo ID, proof of residency & Social Security card UVU DAVENPORT 9 23 Intramurals to use open-gym mode for summer By DEREK LEIFSON Sports Writer SAVE A LIFE a team and start playing, or set themselves up as free agents to be recruited by a team looking for new players. Students can even start up their own teams. There is no registration cost, and the activities themselves relatively low-cost — if not free of charge. UVU ID cards are required to play. On top of the official intramural games, the department also views games in the Center Stage (located directly across from the campus book store) free of charge. Currently they are showing the NBA Finals. "Students can come down, eat some free pizza, and just have a good time." Shirley said. Students that are interested in getting a more detailed description of the schedule can pick it up at SC 108 (across the hallway from the campus book store.) Earn up to $240 every month www.BiomatUSA.Grifols.com Monday-Friday 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Saturday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM 801-235-9800 Please call for more information |