The Michael J. Gould Recreation Center at Kirkwood Community College underwent a renovation last year.
The Rec Center has a weight room that is more than twice the size of the previous room. A 200-meter track winds around the basketball courts and work-out areas. The designated areas offer weight racks, treadmills, ellipticals and exercise balls for student use.
Recreation Services Supervisor Brett Baumgart said the Rec Center offers various activities for students throughout the week. “We have pick-up basketball throughout the day. Pop Pilates Monday night, Yoga is Tuesday and Wednesday nights and Spin and Strength is at noon on Tuesday and Thursday. Circuit blast is Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Body Fit is Monday, Wednesday, Friday,” he said.
The Rec Center also offers intramurals and fitness classes. “We’ve got over 40 intramurals throughout the whole year. It’s a wide range, from flag-football, our biggest one, to rock paper scissors…I really try to make it a wide range. If somebody’s brought an idea, I’m definitely open for it. It’s for the students,” said Baumgart.
Students are the primary audience for the Rec Center. “I try to find things that would be neat and fun that hopefully students will enjoy. At least we catch one student,” said Baumgart.
The Rec Center presents itself as another resource students have available.
Andrew Marshall, a second year Liberal Arts student, said “Just having access to a gym that has full showers, all these weights, you can come here and play ping pong. I see a lot of people here that just shoot hoops. That’s great to be able to have that free space to do that.”
Baumgart explained that these resources are available for the students and encourages everyone to use them. “Utilizing all the different things, intramurals or fitness classes. It’s all free, it’s all for them. We’re going to be open whether they’re here or not. We’d rather have them here utilizing it,” he said.
The number of students participating at the Rec Center is consistent each year. “We have 60,000 swipe-ins a year. On a weekly basis we’re probably close to 100 students,” said Baumgart.
Baumgart said he is aware of the difficulty students face when it comes to balancing coursework and their fitness. “We try to find the right balance of times, days and everything like that,” said Baumgart.
The Rec Center is open Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. – 10:30 p.m.; Friday, 6 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday noon – 5 p.m.; and Sunday 1 p.m. – 7 p.m. The Rec Center hours will vary during student breaks and will be closed over holidays. Students can call 319-398-5596 with questions.
Categories: Sports
