Last week, I ran into my roommate as I was leaving the gym. When I asked where she was heading, she responded, “to the gym to work out.” I was forced to notify her that the gym closed at 4:30 that day.
What a disappointment it was for her – she walked all the way across campus to go to the gym for the first time this year and unbeknownst to her, it closed early. What a way to ruin all those New Year’s resolutions of going to the gym every day.

Normally the Rec Center hours are from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, but it closed early on Wednesday, Jan. 18, for the men’s and women’s rival basketball games versus Gannon.

Now, coming from a former athlete, specifically a basketball player, shutting down the Rec for one sporting event
is a disservice to the rest of the campus population who either had their workout cut short or didn’t even have the opportunity to make it before 4:30, considering the last class block ends at 4:10.

As a fitness instructor at the Rec, this untimely closure also canceled fitness classes and limited the time on the ones that had to be squeezed in before the first-tip off of the basketball game, which was at 5:30.
Because I am a fitness instructor, I was fortunate enough to receive an email that morning notifying me that the Rec was closing at 5, but when I arrived, the woman at the desk said 4:30. This was another half hour earlier than expected.

As far as the rest of campus was concerned, a mass email was not sent out notifying the student body.
Granted this sporting event was also geared for the alumni, that still does not justify cutting the hours of the Rec to focus on one sports team.

Furthermore, it doesn’t give the chance for other athletes to complete their daily workouts that are self-structured if those sports team did not have a scheduled practice that day.

This is not the first instance that this has occurred. The wrestling team is notorious for hosting tournaments that shut down not only the Mercyhurst Athletic Center but the Rec as well, refusing anyone of any gym use.

As a small Division II school, we clearly have inadequate facilities to host such events and provide the opportunity for the general campus to engage in daily physical activity.

I don’t know about you, but the winters in Erie are not conducive for many outdoor exercise routines. Therefore, we rely on the treadmills and elliptical machines at the Rec.

Besides the fact that the exercise equipment wasn’t being used when it closed, the college didn’t even utilize the Rec for a reception or any kind of post-game gathering.

Instead the Rec Center just sat idle, lights out, music off and no physical activity was to be had. To me, this is clearly unacceptable.