Until this semester, the Texas Tech Greek Intramural Program allowed fraternities and sororities to compete exclusively on the same field. Because this league has been eliminated, Greek students now compete in the open intramural league with all other students.
There are multiple intramural sports to play, in different kinds of leagues, according to the Robert H. Ewalt Student Recreation Center.
Don Davis, associate director of the rec center, said there were multiple issues, such as forfeiting games and players showing up in an inebriated state, that caused the cancellation of the Greek Intramural Program. He went on to say forfeits waste money and time, because he still has to pay the officials for being there.
“The Greek program only accounts for 20 percent of the entire intramural program,” Davis said. “It has become a problem over the last two years that Greeks are responsible for 60 percent of the fights and 75 percent of the forfeits and alcohol problems.”
Davis said the open intramural program faces the same problems the Greek one does, but the Greek program sees them at a much higher rate.
“I can see the Greek league coming back under the right circumstances,” Davis said. “I like the Greek league and the Greek community.”
Davis said he would have to see a commitment from the Greek community, and that they want to be a part of their own league. He said there needs to be action, and not just talk.
Alex DeRossi, external vice president of the Student Government Association said the rec center worked very hard to create the Greek program, and the Greek community started to view the league as a right rather than a privilege.
“The rec can’t keep taking a beating anytime the Greeks don’t want to show up to a game, or show up drunk,” DeRossi said. “It leaves the rec out of money out of resources, and no one is held accountable.”
DeRossi said the Greek intramural program did have some positives, in the sense of building camaraderie amongst fraternities and sororities.
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The Greek program needs to be restructured into a two-way street, according to DeRossi, so the Greek community and the rec center can benefit from the relationship.
Evan Elliott, a senior accounting major and member of Delta Tau Delta said he has been playing in the Greek intramural program since fall of 2013.
Elliott said the fraternity’s intramural chairman told his chapter the Greek program could possibly get canceled. Elliott said the announcement was unexpected.
“A lot of people are pissed off,” Elliott said. “Me personally and a lot of my friends are just not playing at all anymore.”
Elliott said he remembers going through rush and it was a big deal to try and win the blanket, signifying an intramural Greek championship. He said he would like to see that come back.
Anthony Hernandez, a senior finance major and Sigma Phi Epsilon’s intramural chairman, said he has been playing intramural sports at Texas Tech since his freshman year in 2012.
Hernandez said the Greek intramural program allows players to build relationships and network with members outside of their own fraternity.
Hernandez said his fraternity chapter was disappointed when they heard the Greek intramural program was cancelled. He said the leaders of the fraternity reminded everyone that they have to be accountable for its cancellation.
“A large portion of why the Greek league was cancelled was because of the number of forfeits,” Hernandez said. “It is a waste of the rec’s time to schedule us when we don’t show up.”
Hernandez said he thinks the Greek intramural program is important, and that it is unfortunate freshmen this year will not experience it.
Enlisting in the open intramural program under their organization’s names and playing within the program’s rules is the first step to getting the Greek program back, Hernandez said.
“We’re going to do everything we can to comply with the rec, that way we can get back on good terms with them,” Hernandez said.
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