The Spectrum

Issue date: 12/8/05 Section: Sports

Media Credit: The Spectrum/Elyse Harrell Senior Jay Parent works out. Some SHU students stay on campus over the break to keep in shape. Others, depending on how you look at it, are not so lucky.

The campus may be quiet when the semester ends on Dec. 17, but men's and women's basketball, men's and women's ice hockey, and wrestling athletes will be around for most of the break, keeping the University grounds somewhat alive.

At the same time, most of the other students will be home with their families enjoying the holidays, eating, drinking and relaxing.

Men's basketball will have a total of seven days off during the break. Then the team will prepare to travel for a game on Jan. 2 in Miami.

"I'm used to the short break, kind of; it's nothing new from what I've done every year," senior center Kibwe Trim of San Juan, Trinidad said.

Women's basketball also does not get much time off.

"We get six days off at most," junior point guard Kerri Burke of Saugus, Mass. said. "It is tough because, where I live, three hours away, it's hard to get home with all the time we spend with basketball, and it is pretty hard too because you just want to be home with your family and friends, but then you have to head back to school."

"For New Year's Eve we just hang out around here and hang low; we usually have a game on the 2nd so we have practice on New Year's Day," Burke said.

From Dec. 23 to 28, men's ice hockey will enjoy their holiday break. For many of the players their homes are far away in places like California, British Columbia, and other Canadian provinces. The travel leaves them even less time.

"I think the NCAA should not make any teams play during holidays, and stretch the season instead," junior goaltender Jason Smith of St. Lambert, Quebec said.

Women's ice hockey has the most time off of all the winter teams. They are allowed two weeks to go home during the winter intersession. Their gap between their Dec. 6 and their Jan. 10 games allows this to happen.

Another winter sports team that will be here for most of the break is wrestling. The men have eight days off, from Dec. 19 to Dec. 27.

Spring sport, track and field, will not be able to enjoy the entire four weeks away from school either. The team is due back two weeks before the break is over.

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