Fitness & Rec Sports

Pohl Recreation Center

In 2003, University of North Texas' Department of Recreational Sports opened the Pohl Recreation Center. The 138,000-square-foot facility features:

• a 45-foot tall rock climbing wall
• a 14,500-square-foot weight room with state-of-the-art equipment, including handicapped-accessible equipment
• a leisure pool and spa
• an eight-lane lap pool
• an outdoor, lighted sand volleyball court and basketball court
• four indoor, multipurpose courts for basketball, badminton, volleyball, and soccer
• a 1/8-mile jogging track on the upper level
• men's and women's locker rooms
• two aerobic/group fitness rooms

The facility also has a Smoothie King, lounge areas, and an outdoor pursuits center with guided trips and outdoor equipment rental.

Your semester recreational facility fee of $78 pays for the Pohl Recreation Center. This is comparable to other universities' fees for similar recreation facilities or to the cost of belonging to a local fitness center. So you are encouraged to take advantage of the many ways the center can help you stay fit and healthy.

Joining an intramural team

In the intramural sports program, you can join a basketball, flag football, inner tube water polo, indoor and outdoor soccer, softball, or volleyball team and play against other UNT intramural teams in leagues and tournaments. You may form a team associated with a UNT organization, such as your residence hall council or a fraternity or sorority, or you can form an independent team. Free agent meetings for the major team sports are held if you want to join a team.

The recreational sports office sponsors events and tournaments for individual and dual sports, including table tennis, golf, racquetball, Xbox and tennis. The department also holds several "fun runs" throughout the year, including one during Homecoming.

Most sports and events have divisions from recreational to competitive skill levels in men's, women's and co-recreational classifications. Team events have an entry fee, but most individual and dual sports are free. T-shirts are awarded to the champions of each event.

Playing with a club

By joining a sport club, you can practice and compete regularly in the sports you are interested in and with others who share that interest. The recreational sports office sponsors various sport clubs on campus, including aikido, badminton, baseball, billiards, bowling, cycling, fencing, gamers, ice hockey, in-line hockey, men's lacrosse, men's rugby, men's soccer, men's ultimate disc, men's volleyball, racquetball, sailing, tae kwon do, tennis, triathlete events, wake board, women's lacrosse, women's ultimate disc, and women's volleyball.

Many of these clubs compete against teams from surrounding areas and other Texas universities, either informally or through organized leagues. For example, the in-line hockey club fielded two teams that competed in the Southwest Collegiate Hockey League. Both teams participated in the 2007 and 2008 Collegiate Roller Hockey National Championships. The men's baseball team has a competitive schedule each fall and spring, with games against teams from junior colleges and universities in the National Club Baseball Association. Tryouts for the team are held each semester.

Taking an aerobics class

You may take noncredit aerobic classes in body sculpting, step, kickboxing, yoga, Pilates, water aerobics, indoor cycling and more through the aerobics/group fitness program. These classes, taught by certified instructors, are held throughout the day in the two aerobics rooms located in the recreation center. Designated free classes are offered throughout the week. All other classes require an aerobics pass or daily fee.

DesignING your own fitness program

In addition to aerobics, aquatics, intramurals, sports clubs, and outdoor pursuits, you may participate in informal recreation as a drop-in, using the facilities at your leisure. You must have a valid UNT ID card to enter the POHL Recreation Center. You also have the opportunity to reserve space on one of the eight racquetball courts located inside the Physical Education Building or play tennis at the Waranch Tennis Complex located south of Victory Hall off Bonnie Brae Street. Your ID also will allow you to check out basketballs, volleyballs and other items.

The recreational sports office is in the Pohl Recreation Center, Room 103.