This time last year, Saturday was game day, and it began by strapping on a helmet, putting on shoulder pads and flying around the field with limitless vigor.
Now it begins on a Tuesday night with athletic shorts and flags.

The absence of a football team at Western has led former players to join intramural flag football.

“There are only a handful of football players left here, but most of them are out playing flag football,” said Western junior and former linebacker David Johnson.

Johnson, along with former teammate and junior David Sinex, plays and referees intramural flag football games. They agree it is a far cry from the competitive football they grew accustomed to in Division-II league play, but the inspiration is entirely different.

“I don’t play to fill the void left by Western football,” said Sinex, a former Western offensive lineman. “I do it with a group of buddies and have a good time.”
Johnson said his motivation stems more closely from the loss of the football program.

“It’s really the only option football players left at Western have to play,” Johnson said. “So we are going to be in all the intramurals now.”

The intramural flag football league has 11 divisions with a total of 14 coed teams and 45 men’s teams.

The intramural program has a total of approximately 250 teams with 2,000 participants, intramural coordinator Kendra Jackson said.

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