Viking_Yearbook_91

I •••••••••••• (( I think pool is one of the best sports for several reasons," said Darin Walding, president of the Billiards Club. "When you're playing pool you have to concentrate and try. What that does is that it allows you to forget your homework and tests. It allows you to relieve your stress by hitting the balls. I imagine it's like boxing, you're tak– ing out your frustrations, but not quite as vio– lently. It's relaxing at the same time. It's just a fun game that allows you to release your inhibi– tions." Billiards is the second largest participant sport in the United States. That alone might explain the high level of participation in the billiards club this year. However, Walding said there may be a different reason. "This year they're coming to the practices. They're coming to the tournaments. They're trying out for the team so they can go to the matches. It's a tremendous amount of partici– pation," Walding aid. "So this year we've de– cided to charge a membership fee, which oppo– site of what you might expect, caused the par– ticipation to increase. I think that fee has made them feel that they're part of a club. This is the best year the club's ever had." Walding is currently helping to establish clubs at other universities in Oregon. One of his goals is to get an intercollegiate conference established. He has already lobbied enough to get cue stick lockers back at the Viking Bowl and Billiard. Member Steve Cruz said he believes free practice time is not the only benefit of the club. "We not only play because people have already played before, there's instructional videos and there's always people willing to teach other people to play. That's the main focus is to get everybody to play...with each other, with peo– ple who don't know each other, and with peo– ple who are inexperienced - to get better and just have fun." • • • Michelle Keeseker Above: Asoka Weeraratne on the billiards aims for a corner shot. ( (Table tennis is the second most pop– ular sport around the world," said table tennis coach lrv Lamon. The club at PSU has enjoyed a good year with some talented players, although interest in table tennis at PSU fluctuates. "If one outstanding player comes, then he at– tracts other people," said Lamon. Once a year there is an American College Union International competition which is divid– ed into regions. The man and the woman who win the regional championship get a trip to Den– ver for the nationals. A PSU graduate student, Didi Yogiaman, won that regional championship this year and went on to the nationals in April. PSU not only took the top men's spot in the regional competition, but also the top men's doubles and the top wom– en's doubles tides. Yogiaman started playing table tennis when he was 13. He played with his dad, brother and sister. He started competing at the age of 16 and he practices about three hours a day, four or five times a week. He returned to table tennis in 1987, after six years of being away from competi– tion. "You have to not just play, but you have to use your brain, I mean tactics, because every play– er has different weaknesses, so you have to notice that. Every time you play with somebody, you have to play differently. It requires quickness," said Yogiaman. • • • Michelle Keeseker Photo by Kathy Schassen R ecommendations for changing the Swimming Club from a club sport to an Inter-Organizational Council group may become a reality. "Becoming an roc group is a good idea for the club. It would probably be better for the club," said James Sweeney, Swimming Club president. In order to be a club sport, groups must partici– pate in competitions. The swimming club prefers not to do this. "We're not that enthusiastic about compet– ing," said Sweeney. "Our membership is kind of low, but I don't think that's the problem. People aren't really keyed up for competition." • • • Michelle Keeseker Student Activies/Ciub Sports