Every week, the lights shine brightly on the baseball field as 36 co-recreational teams, 28 men’s teams and six women’s teams all take up arms and battle for their season as every game matters.

Intramural sports are a vital part of life here on campus, and intramural soccer, which is roaring up, is no exception.

Arts & Sciences freshman Michael Schmidt, captain of the all-freshman team known as The Soccer Moms, was ready for a new experience when he joined.

“I played a lot of sports in high school and it got to the point where competitive sports weren’t fun anymore,” he said.

“Nothing is wrong with competing in sports as long as it’s healthy and fun. I’m excited to play [intramural soccer] because everyone gets to play. We are having fun, and yet we are competing for something.”

Arts & Sciences freshman Carl Elsik also has experience playing soccer and wanted to continue while here at Creighton.

“I’ve played soccer all my life,” he said. ” It’s just a great way to stay involved in the game I love.”

There are many reasons why a student joins an intramural team, ranging from friends to exercise.

One of the main reasons Schmidt’s teammate Arts & Sciences freshman Andrew Scott joined the team was to find the balance between friendship and competitiveness.

“I enjoy a combination of both the friend aspect and game aspect,” Scott said. “I enjoy playing soccer, but I also enjoy spending time with my friends. So the ability to do both at the same time is fantastic.”

Teams composed of students from all over campus enjoy this recreational outlet. It gives students a nice break from the stress and hustle of school and homework.

“The fun of the game with healthy competition and having your friends as teammates alongside is icing on the cake,” Schmidt said.

“Our goal right now is to make the playoffs and meet new people along the way.”

With only a few weeks left in the season, the year-end honor of which team is the best is still up for grabs.

Elsik, who is teammates with Schmidt and Scott, wants success for his team but understands the deeper meaning of intramural sports.

“Obviously I want to win,” he said. “But if that’s the only thing that matters, then you are not playing for the right reasons.”

The stress reliever, the workout and the way intramural sports bring friends and foes together are just an insight into the beauty of the organization.

Scott’s advice is to get involved in any intramural sports you can.

“Intramural sports are just a great thing to be involved with,” he said. “It provides a well-deserved break from the stresses of college.”