Let’s face it, being a member of a school sports team is not for everyone. There’s the time commitment, money put towards uniforms and equipment, and the many, many grueling hours of blood, sweat and tears that you put into practice to keep your game in check.

What if you just enjoy playing sports with your friends and like to stay fit while doing it at your own leisure? Join an intramural team and you can do both.

SF State offers indoor soccer, four-on-four volleyball, and basketball as intramural sports. There are currently two soccer leagues, league A and league B, with two divisions each. Combined, there are 30 teams on the intramural roster, with at least 10 members on each team. The volleyball league has eight teams, and basketball has three leagues; basketball has 40 teams in all. All teams have the option of being co-ed and are open to SF State students and anyone else interested in playing. Some SF State students in particular who are taking interest are fraternity and sorority members.

Heath Hamaguchi, 22, a junior at SF State, and a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity, plays on an intramural basketball team Wednesday nights at 10:10 p.m. (the games are scheduled and posted at the beginning of the semester and teams play 15 minute halves) in the gym on campus. "For me, being on an all-Phi Tau team gives me time to spend with my brothers," he says. "I’m a team player. I love the beauty of teamwork."

Hamaguchi is one of the many members of a Greek organization who chooses to play on an intramural sports team. Members of Pi Kappa Phi, a national fraternity on campus, and Alpha Phi, a national sorority, compete on intramural soccer teams Monday evenings. Pi Kappa Phi also competes in basketball.

Why play intramurals instead of trying out for SF State’s team? "I wouldn’t make the team," replies Hamaguchi. "I wouldn’t want to because I’m a theatre major. Playing sports is just for exercise." He, like most of the fraternity members, chose to play a sport that he is good at, and played in high school. He and his brothers chose basketball over volleyball. "I think it’s more intense [than volleyball] – I suck at volleyball," he admits. "I’m too short. I’m 5.8. What I wouldn’t mind playing is football…it’s always fun to get bruised."

Hamaguchi’s team, simply named "Phi Tau" chooses its team roster, like most teams, based on availability. "Whoever has the time [plays]. Our fraternity has so many good players," he raves. "We’d have a really awesome team if some brothers would show up."

A downside, but natural part of competing in sports, is trash-talking. Hamaguchi hates that part of the game. He beckons with his thumb at some Pi Kappa Phi members sitting on the bleachers who are yelling at each other on the court.

"[People] who do nothing but talk shit…try to verbally attack you when you play," he says, giving them a dirty look. "Saying stuff like ‘Fuck you!', that is just rude. My mama taught me right. I’m not into cursing and yelling." Hamaguchi feels that Greek teams have an advantage because the members are all good friends, as opposed to a team who just put themselves together at the last minute. The competition between the two fraternities doesn't prevent him from saying something nice about an opponent. He points out Dave Smith, the redheaded Pi Kappa Phi running across the gym. The two played together on the same team once. "He’s a hella good player," he says. "He’s hella respectful."

The Phi Taus next game is against the Jungle Warriors. The Jungle Warriors are a team made up of school friends, none of who is in a Greek organization. Karen Marquez, 19, a freshman at SF State, is a member. It’s her second time playing with the Jungle Warriors. How does she feel about playing against a team of fraternity members? "They might be harder to beat because of the bond they have," she says from the bench, her eyes on her teammates. "They have a different chemistry [that we can’t compete with]," she observes.