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Sports & Recreation

Payne Whitney Gymnasium

Payne Whitney Gymnasium, the largest building at Yale, is located at the north end of campus on Tower Parkway. The Whitney family donated the funds for the construction of the gymnasium to honor their son, Payne Whitney, Class of 1898. This huge sports facility was completed in 1932 during the administration of Yale president James Rowland Angell.

Designed by architect John Russell Pope, this 12-acre indoor facility is likened to the cathedral in Liverpool, England. Yale students often refer to the gym as "The Cathedral of Sweat" or "The Temple of the Body," whereas members of visiting athletic teams have been overheard calling it "The House of Payne."

The nine-and-one-half-story gym houses two pools -- a 50- meter practice pool on the third floor and the 25-meter Robert Kiphuth Exhibition Pool in the basement; 26 squash courts; 8 handball courts; 3 rowing tanks; 2 indoor jogging tracks as well as an outdoor jogging oval located on the east-wing roof; a weight training facility with Universal and Nautilus machines and free weights; separate men's and women's sauna and steam complexes; a gymnastics studio; a fencing salon; a martial arts dojo; two dance studios; a golf practice cage; a polo pony practice room; a fitness equipment center with stationary bikes, rowers and stair machines; several multi-purpose activity rooms; and locker rooms for men and women. The gym is used for varsity team practices and contests, for intramural sport games and events, for physical education classes, and for group or individual recreation, exercise and fitness activities.

Payne Whitney Gym opens for the academic year on Monday, Aug. 25, and closes on Friday, May 15, 1998. During term hours the building is open weekdays 7 a.m.-10 p.m. and weekends 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For specific schedule information, call
432-1444.

Anyone affiliated with the University is eligible for membership. Yale students with valid I.D. cards are permitted open access to the building while other members of the Yale community are required to register and pay a membership fee. Membership fees include locker assignment with padlock. In addition, all gym users may purchase an optional towel service (clean towel provided on each visit). Students who exercise the towel service option also receive an assigned locker. For additional membership information, visit the membership office located in the main lobby Monday- Friday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and 3-6 p.m., or call 432-2474.

Club Sports

Over 30 sports are offered through the club sports program, including badminton, ballroom dancing, cricket, croquet, cycling, equestrian, fishing, Frisbee, judo, polo, rugby, skiing and volleyball. Most of the club teams are competitive at the intercollegiate level and many have won national championships. A "Club Sports Night" will be held in September in the Payne Whitney Gymnasium. Representatives from all the clubs will be available to discuss club membership and practice schedules; refreshments will be provided. For additional infor-mation, call the Club Sports Office at
432-2492 or leave your name and number in the Club Sports mailbox in Rm. 511 of Payne Whitney Gym.

Golf

The Yale Golf Course, considered one of the nation's finest, is located four miles northwest of campus on Conrad Drive. An 18-hole championship course, putting greens, driving range, rental carts and a pro shop are offered. A PGA teaching staff is also on hand to provide classes and private instruction, which can be arranged by appointment. The facility also provides other recreational activities. The property encompasses over 500 acres of forest land which includes ponds, streams and walking trails. There also is a picnic area on the property.

The course is a private facility open to all members of the Yale community, their families and guests. Golf fees can be paid on an annual or daily basis. Annual membership (April-December) includes unrestricted play and reduced family and guest fees. The Yale clubhouse offers men's and women's locker rooms with shower and toilet facilities. A restaurant with a seating capacity of over 100 is also available.

The Grill Room is open for lunch each day, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. There also is a bar service, which is available until 8 p.m. Catering is also available and can be arranged for banquets, parties, conferences, weddings and other special occasions.

For more information, call 432-0895 or visit golf course director David Paterson at the Yale Golf Course.

Ice Skating

Ingalls Rink, located on the corner of Prospect and Sachem streets, is available for recreational ice skating October-March. The rink may also be rented for Yale-related skating parties. Students and members of the Yale community may enjoy skating via special memberships or through payment of daily session fees.

All users must provide their own skates. For fees and a daily skating schedule, call 432-0875.

Intercollegiate Athletics

The intercollegiate athletic program includes a total of 33 varsity teams: 16 for men and 17 for women. Yale is a member of the Ivy Group, which provides competition in intercollegiate athletics under conditions that are mutually acceptable to the eight member institutions. For information on the men's and women's varsity programs, call 432-1435.

Intramural Sports

The undergraduate program offers a myriad of competitive individual and team sport opportunities to persons affiliated with the residential colleges. Individuals should contact their college dean or athletic secretary. Fall competition begins in September. There is an expanding number of intramural sports opportunities for graduate students throughout the year. Some of the activities include soccer, touch football, volleyball and softball.

For information concerning either program, call 432-2487 or visit Rm. 509, Payne Whitney Gym.

Physical Education Instruction

Instructional classes in physical education begin Monday, Sept. 15. More than 100 sections of instruction are offered in the areas of aquatics, dance, exercise, fitness, martial arts, sport skills and weight training. With a few exceptions, these courses are free to Yale undergraduate and graduate students, as well as all other gym members.

"Dancing Through Pregnancy" and post-partum exercise classes will be held weekday afternoons at the Payne Whitney Gymnasium. These two courses are available to members of both the Yale and New Haven communities.

Preregistration for all physical education classes will be conducted in the lobby of the gym, Monday-Friday, Sept. 8-12, noon-
6 p.m. Students and gymnasium members are urged to enroll early for all classes they wish to attend.

Fee programs in children's swimming, dance, martial arts and gymnastics will be offered in the fall and winter/spring terms. The fall classes will start Saturday, Sept. 20, and will run for eight consecutive weeks. Age requirements vary.

For more information concerning physical education classes, call 432-2488. For information regarding children's programs, call 432-1431.

Recreational Running

From December to March, indoor running is available at the William Clay Ford track in Coxe Cage. Memberships and single session rates are available for a fee (free for Yale students). The 200-meter track, a cushioned, rubberized surface, is open during specific hours Sunday-Friday.

For further information, call 432-2499.

Summer Sports Day Camps

A series of weekly sports day camps for youngsters ages 9-17 is conducted during the summer. These include tennis, baseball, soccer (Coerver method) and basketball camps, as well as a computer camp, each of which offers on in-depth instruction.

In addition, a weekly, multi-sport day camp program with instruction in a variety of sports activities -- along with games, video movies and special events -- is offered for boys and girls ages 7-11. These camps feature a weekly trip to the Yale Outdoor Recreation Center in East Lyme. For more information on fees, age requirements and registration procedures for both programs, call the Sports Camps Office at 432-2488.

Tennis

The Yale Tennis Center includes 5 clay courts, 22 Deco Turf II hard courts and
4 indoor courts. The facility is located near the Yale Bowl on Derby Avenue.

The indoor courts are available October-May, while the outdoor courts may be utilized May-October. Intercollegiate and intramural tennis programs have court priority during posted hours. Group and private lessons are offered by certified professionals, and summer tennis camps are offered for children.

The outdoor courts are open to the public for a "per person" fee on a first-come, first-served basis. Summer hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays. There is no charge for Yale students.

The indoor Cullman Courts, adjacent to Coxe Cage, provide opportunities to play tennis in the winter. Student and faculty/staff membership information may be obtained online: http://yalebulldogs.cstv.com/facilities/faccullman.html.

Tickets for Athletic Contests

Tickets -- both season passes and for individual games -- are available at the Ticket Office, Ray Tompkins House,
20 Tower Pkwy., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays. Students may buy tickets at reduced rates by presenting a valid Yale I.D. The office accepts VISA, American Express and MasterCard. Call 432-1400 for information.

Yale Corinthian Yacht Club

Located on Short Beach in Branford, the Yale Corinthian Yacht Club (YCYC) offers adult memberships for recreational and competitive sailing during the summer and school year. In the summer, sailing and windsurfing lessons are also provided for adults and children.

The yacht club's staff will teach participants to master the basics of sailing and windsurfing. All members of the yacht club are welcome to compete in regattas and weekly racing as well as cookouts and other social activities conducted by the Yale Faculty Yacht Club.

YCYC offers four levels of lessons for children ages 10-18 in four-week sessions. The beginning class teaches children with no sailing experience the fundamentals of sailing while emphasizing safety. Skills are improved in the intermediate class through an introduction to racing. Older sailors can join the YCYC Junior Racing Team or learn skills of boat handling and seamanship in 420s and windsurfers in the "Advanced Skills" class.

For more information, visit the yacht club at 179 Clark Ave. in Branford, or call 488-9330.

Yale Fields

Playing fields are located on Derby Avenue approximately three miles from campus for softball, touch football, Frisbee, soccer and informal recreational activities. Fields may be reserved for special events and organizational activities as available by calling 432-1420.

Yale Outdoor Education Center

The Yale Outdoor Education Center, located 42 miles from New Haven in East Lyme, is open to the entire Yale community. It features 2,000 acres of woodland and a freshwater lake for swimming, canoeing, boating and fishing.

Cabin and campsite rentals are available, and there are tables and grills located by lakeside groves for casual picnics. Groups of up to 150 people may reserve the pavilion or dining hall for conferences, weddings or other special occasions at reasonable rates. For information about summer season membership (mid-June through Labor Day), daily fees and group rates, contact the Outdoor Education Center Office at 432-2492.

Yale Polo and Equestrian Center

Riding and polo lessons, competitive polo and other equestrian-related activities are available at the Polo and Equestrian Center, located near the Yale Bowl. The center contains 62 stalls, an indoor arena, and outdoor riding facilities and trails. Group discount rates as well as student and faculty rates are offered for all programs. In addition, children ages 9-16 may participate in summer riding programs. For additional information, call 432-1431.


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