Manhattan College places a particular emphasis on the presence of athletic teams, but how do former high school athletes attending the college adjust to life without sports? Being part of a team in high school dictates a student’s so- cial life and schedule, but this all changes dramatically when a student comes to college and quits the sport.

Griffin Reische, freshman physical education and coach- ing major, did tennis, basket- ball and boxing in high school. Reische had dreams of playing tennis in college, but ultimately settled on furthering his aca- demic career at Manhattan due to personal reasons.

“[Growing up], I was always an athlete,” Reische said. “My parents were athletes so we played lots of sports.”

Reische was convinced by friends at Manhattan to join an intramural basketball team. Reische reflected on his high school days on the basketball team, admitting he could never replace the bonds of friendship he had with his teammates.

“It was like a brotherhood,” Reische said. “We were all very close. I feel like there’s nothing better than being a part of a team … You always make each other happy and laugh.”

Student athletes spend the entire school day together before continuing their time together at practices and at games. The camaraderie between teammates is a bond no different than brothers or sisters.

Sal Schillace, a freshman electrical engineering major, attended a private all-boys high school where he wrestled from freshman to senior year and played tennis from sophomore to senior year. He had also played on a church league bas- ketball team for ten years lead- ing up to college.

“Especially with the wres- tling team, we were very close,” Schillace said. “It’s a lot of fun working together.”

Now that Schillace is in college, he joined his roommate in participating in intramural football and basketball.

“I was never allowed to play football [growing up],” Schillace said. “So I started to play intramural football, which is fun. And I joined … with a bunch of kids I didn’t know and I just became friends with all of them.”

Though a lot of his social life in high school depended on

his avid participation in sports, he believes a lot of the change in his social life between high school and college is due to the fact that he is now attending a co-ed school.

Joseph DeMauro, a fresh- man double major in busi- ness analytics and marketing, played lacrosse in high school following in the footsteps of his older brother. He ultimately stopped playing in college despite the enjoyment he had in high school.

“School was more important, [but my high school teammates] were all my best friends,” DeMauro said.

DeMauro got involved in intramural football, basketball and dodgeball at Manhattan.

College intramurals are open to all students. Intramurals supply a unique team dynamic to former athletes no longer able to participate in organized sports.

Intramural sports typically offered at Manhattan College include basketball, dodgeball, softball, volleyball, flag foot- ball and soccer. Matches are usually held in Draddy Gym or Gaelic Park. For more infor- mation on joining intramural sports, students should visit IMLeagues.com.