INDOOR ACTIVITY: SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS FIND WAYS TO ENJOY THEIR GAMES YEAR-ROUND

Starting an exercise regimen is a chore for many people, particularly those who have difficulty disciplining themselves into a routine.

But when someone expects you to join them for a game on the courts or a round of golf, things are different.

David Ross and Nick Tibbs both agree they aren't very good about making themselves exercise on their own. But both men meet regularly during the week for a little exercise and a lot of fun on the racquetball courts.

"It's just tremendously fun," said Tibbs, a professor in the geosciences department at Southeast Missouri State University. He is one of several university professors and instructors who meet regularly at the Student Recreation Center for a racquetball game during the lunch hour three times a week.

The fast pace of the sport keeps players involved in the game and gives them a chance for regular exercise.

"I didn't have the discipline for a regular exercise program," Tibbs said. "I play and know that I'm getting exercise."

Commitment to play

For many people, the joy of exercise vanishes when they make it a chore.

"People are more likely to maintain physical fitness if they enjoy doing it," Tibbs said.

For some people the enjoyment comes in lifting weights, running daily or just taking a walk and listening to the birds, he added.

Ross, director at the Show Me Center, was a runner previously but likes the competitive edge and fast pace in racquetball.

"Just to go and work out or run on the treadmill, I wouldn't do that," Ross said.

The commitment that comes with playing in a league keeps Ross in a regular exercise program, even if that wasn't his original intent. He originally switched to racquetball as an indoor recreational release, he said.

A survey conducted last year by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association showed that with the exception of basketball and soccer, participation in team sports dropped between 1990 and 1999.

But the number of frequent players increased, which could be a boost for sports leagues, particularly at the adult level. The study only tracked what younger players were doing because few people play in any team sports after leaving school.

Yet, coordinators for area sports programs say that league play is increasing in Southeast Missouri, especially during the winter months when conditions are poor for outdoor play.

There are leagues for nearly every sport enthusiast, from basketball, volleyball, racquetball and tennis.

Playing and popularity

Attendance is up and down, said Lance Gragg, a recreation coordinator at St. Francis Universal Health and Fitness. If there is nice weather one day, the indoor tennis courts and racquetball courts won't be booked.

"In bad weather it all increases," he said.

Even during the summer, tennis players like the indoor courts because it means playing on an even surface in regulated temperatures.

"If they stick with a sport, then they play outside and when the courts are available" indoors, Gragg said.

Indoor courts often mean easier access and less time waiting for play, because the courts usually require reservations. It's different if you're just hitting some balls around with a friend outdoors, Gragg said.

But the indoor winter sports leagues run by the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department are almost as popular as their summer sports leagues.

Basketball and volleyball games keep the gym at the Osage Community Centre booked. Leagues play nearly every night of the week.

"The only night we're off is Friday," said Chris Eastridge of the parks department. The number of teams in the winter sports leagues is probably half what is recorded for softball play, but the summer and fall softball leagues have a longer history in the city.

"But a lot of people in the leagues play in all three," Eastridge said.

There are 44 basketball teams and 34 volleyball teams that play on the indoor courts at the Osage Centre.

Racquetball enthusiasts have an indoor sports advantage because theirs is a sport only played indoors.

"There is a lot of extra adrenaline in the sport," Tibbs said. It's not necessarily an aerobic activity, but players can get pretty winded.

And injuries are common, particularly when a fast-moving ball makes contact with a player. Wayward racquets can also pose a hazard.

There are injuries with nearly every sport whether indoors or out, Gragg said, and players must remember that some of the same rules apply for both sorts of sports.

"It's as important to make sure you keep water in your system when you play as you would outdoors," he said.