The point guard for the “Big Time Money Rollerz” dribbles down the court with just seconds remaining on the clock, and only three points separating the two co-rec basketball squads.

After being held scoreless for most of the game, she fires up a shot from behind the arc, hoping to add to her stats and cushion an already comfortable lead.

The ball bounces harmlessly off the rim, but surprisingly, it’s her teammates that are cheering when the ball hits the ground, not the opposing team.

She soon realizes she shot the ball at the wrong basket, and if it had gone in, the other team would have pulled even, if not won the game.

Anybody would hang their head with embarassment for a little while, but this particular intramural extrodinairre soon forgets the on-court drama.

While it’s not uncommon for a co-rec basketball team to play for fun, a player on the losing team shows the opposite end of the specturm, throwing the ball against the wall in disgust with his team’s shabby play.

As a result, he draws a technical foul that even he an admit was deserved.

In one pivotal play, one can see both sides of the excitement displayed in Washburn’s intramural program.

Whether the game is played for fun or for heated competition, everybody can find enjoyment in the sports offered at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center.

John Cummings, head of the SRWC’s intramural program, organizes all of the program’s sports and puts together leagues, schedules and manager meetings.

In recent years, Cummings has seen the program’s popularity grow as new sports are introduced, and more students see the appeal of joining a league.

“I think one of the best parts of our intramural program is that it caters to everybody’s level of competitiveness,” Cummings said. “We have people who get together just so they can play their favorite sports once a week, and at the same time you have athletes here who want that competitive level they enjoyed at the high school level.”

With the addition of new fall sports this semester, the non-typical athletes have also found enjoyment in intramurals.

“We saw a big increase in participation when we brought in games like checkers and 9 ball this year,” Cummings said. “They aren’t the most popular, traditional sports, but they do attract a new crowd.”

Meanwhile, the sports that have been around since the program first began, like basketball and football have also seen increases in participation.

Soccer has also made a recent rise to become one of the program’s most popular sports.

“Our soccer leagues have gotten a lot more intense in the past season, and with participation from international teams I think people feel their energy and want to match their enthusiasm for the game,” Cummings said.

Even with flag football wrapping up earlier this month, and with new sports forming every semester, the game with the most widespread popularity is still 5-on-5 basketball.

The mandatory manager meeting will be held Dec. 3 to set up rosters for spring, and Cummings said of all the sports this is the one that always has full leagues.

With men, women and co-rec leagues forming, there are sure to be teams available that accomodate any skill level.

What matters most is staying in shape and having fun, and after a month of sitting around eating holiday hams, there is no better way to get back in the routine of school and homework than to get some exercise.

Even if you shoot at the wrong basket.