Passion fuels intramural soccer

Club popularity soars to new heights as season winds to a close

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Bailey Blum, Assistant Sports Editor

As the harsh wind and bitter cold of winter descend upon the Chicago suburbs, so does a new, driving passion that encapsulates hundreds of LT students every year. For these students, winter brings more than the typical basketball, swimming and wrestling seasons.
Starting in late November, more than 200 athletes lace up their indoor soccer cleats and storm the field in one of the most competitive and entertaining environments of the year: Intramural Soccer.
Intramural Soccer is held multiple nights a week at the SC Fieldhouse, with five 30-minute games per night. In addition to the normal soccer players at LT, the club also features teams built from other sports such as football and cross country. Intramural Soccer has skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years, causing an increase in the number of teams from 12 to 24, Co-Supervisor of Intramural Soccer Paul Labbato said.
A “league” format with playoffs and a championship, co-ed teams and a limit of three varsity players per squad to avoid team stacking can also be credited for the competitive yet extremely fun vibe on the field, Labbato said.
“One goal [of intramural soccer] is that a lot of kids play soccer growing up and really like it, but they turn to other sports and end up dropping it,” Labbato said. “This is a really nice outlet for those kids who used to play and liked it but play a different sport now.”
Finishing the regular season in first place with a league-best 5-0 record was Munch FC, led by LT JV soccer member Freddie Figge ‘15 and co-captain Jon Wallace ‘15.
“We’ve been successful because we’re big bodies,” Wallace said. “We work out.”
Trailing close behind was “2 Dudes 1 Ball” and “LT Futbol”, who tied for second place with a 4-0-1 record. While these teams secured first-round byes, none of their fates were certain due to the playoff format and the potential for upsets.
For some teams though, it’s not all about the glory. A unique aspect of Intramural Soccer that sets it apart from other intramurals is, in addition to the combination of competition and fun, a fierce sense of community and love for the game.
“The thing that sets [intramural soccer] apart is the fire,” Wallace said. “It’s the passion; the sense of competition. But most of all, the bodies.”