Sports and Recreation Clubs
MIT Sloan boasts one of the largest and most diverse club sports programs in the nation, whether your interests tend toward basketball or ballroom dancing, Aikido or ultimate Frisbee. Club sports have a proud tradition of serving the MIT community, and many competitive clubs have excelled at both the regional and national levels. For example, the MIT Women’s Water Polo team finished second the past two seasons in the North Atlantic Division.
Instruction Offered
Of course, many club sports offer instruction in addition to competitive opportunities. The MIT Archery Club makes equipment, support, and a range of instruction available for those who are only interested in learning how to shoot, as well as for those who have higher aims of competitive shooting. The MIT Kickboxing Club incorporates elements from various styles of standup fighting, while giving participants a great cardio and interval workout. In addition, members have opportunities to compete on an individual basis.
A few on-campus club sports offer programming and events beyond instruction and pickup games. For example, the Yoga Club not only offers classes in meditation and yoga, but also hosts a Yoga Happy Hour and a Healthy Lunch Series to further their efforts to help students cope more effectively with stress. The annual Figure Skating Exhibition sponsored by the MIT Figure Skating Club is open to the public and showcases skaters from the MIT community, as well as guest skaters from the Metro Boston area.
Facilities
MIT’s diverse sports programming takes place within a sprawling athletic complex that encompasses 10 buildings and 26 acres of playing fields. The outside facilities include 16 tennis courts as well as fields for softball, baseball, and track events. Seasonal facilities include the Sailing Pavilion, the Pierce Boathouse, and the Johnson Ice Rink. In 2002, MIT’s state-of-the-art Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center (the Z-Center) opened, joining the Rockwell Cage, the duPont Gymnasium, and the Johnson Athletic Center as the heart of the central Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation Complex. The Z-Center offers MIT Sloan students easy access to outstanding collection of athletic facilities, including cardio machines, free weights, squash and basketball courts, floor hockey, volleyball, and an Olympic-class, 50-meter pool. In 2006, the Z-Center pool and cardio machines earned awards for “Best Swimming Pool” and “Best Cardio Gym” in the Metro Boston area, on the CBS4Boston.com “A-List.” Programming options available at the Z Center include swim classes from youth to master’s levels, American Red Cross safety training classes, massage therapy, group exercise classes, golf instruction, and personal training services.
Intramural Program
Throughout the academic year, MIT also offers competition in 19 different intramural sports, each participating in multiple leagues based on skill levels. In 2010-11, more than 1,000 teams registered to participate in intramurals ranging from bowling to ice hockey and flag football to table tennis.
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