Rec Sports launches podcasts to reach students

IU Recreational Sports has started a series of video podcasts to inform and reach more students. \n“Students always seem to want a new media and technology every second, and in order to serve these students, we created the IU Recreational Sports podcasts,” said Melissa Copas, the assistant director of marketing for Rec Sports. “These podcasts will give (students) information about all kinds of sports schedules and healthy tips however, wherever and whenever they want it.”\nRec Sports launched its first podcast on Monday, on the topic of the “freshman 15.” The podcast is available to anyone through Facebook and the Rec Sports Web site, recsports.indiana.edu, where it can be downloaded to an iPod. \nThe video podcasts will be updated with new topics, tips and intramural sports announcements every Monday.\nCopas said that Rec Sports created the podcasts after extensive research on what students wanted. \n“Since students are always busy,” Copas said. “We wanted to create an easy, fast outlet to connect the students with what they really wanted to know.” \nThe podcasts are hosted by seniors Kelli Archer and Steven Foster.\nIn Monday’s podcast, Foster stood on a basketball court and read Rec Sports announcements while Archer interviewed students working out.\nArcher and Foster both auditioned to become “podcasters.” \nFoster said both he and Archer spend a couple of hours a week developing the podcasts, but he said the time is well-spent.\n“Everyone we work with makes us feel very comfortable and at the same time professional so it’s definitely great and fun working to create these podcasts,” Foster said. \nHe said that Copas writes the scripts for the podcasts while Janis Bolling, the videographer for the podcasts, puts together the programs and edits them. \nCopas said the podcasts help students understand issues of fitness and nutrition, while also letting them know what Rec Sports has to offer. \nFoster agreed and said the main objective of the podcasts is to get people involved with the Rec Sports.\n“I think it’s a great way for students to find out what’s going on in Rec Sports,” Copas said. “Also, it will encourage the students to use the money that they are mandatory paying for the recreational fee to their own benefits.”\nCopas said she is hopeful that the new podcasts will be used by many students because podcasting is a new, easily-accessible medium where viewers can hear students’ tips on how to stay fit and healthy. \n“I just hope students consistently come back and listen to it because you never know what great, healthy tips will be given, what intramural sports announcements will be made and who might be interviewed,” Copas said. “It might be you or your friends.”