Latest Rec Sports event splashes into finals

Paris McGee
Fri, 01 Dec 2017 03:10:27 +0000
Arts & Life, Events, diving, finals week, ohio state diving, pre-finals, reading day, rec sports, recreational sports, Splash Day

Rec Sports and the Ohio State Diving club are partnering up for the third-annual Splash Day. The event will kick-off finals week with a stress free activity at 9 a.m. Wednesday at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. Credit: Courtesy of Recreational Sports.

Though late-fall temperatures are not the most suitable for pool activities, students will have one more chance to get some water fun in before finals.

Recreational Sports and the Ohio State Diving club have partnered for the third-annual Splash Day, a finals week kick-off event on Wednesday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. Starting at 9 a.m., the event will accommodate up to 50 participants who will be given the opportunity to jump off diving platforms as high as 10 meters.

Penny Barkhurst, outreach programs coordinator for rec sports, said the purpose of the event is to entertain students and relieve the stress of studying before they begin their preparation for finals, which can be stressful.

“This is the only time that we invite students to jump off the 10-meter diving platform because it is dangerous,” Barkhurst said. “So it’s a fun way to get students’ minds away from school as they buckle-down and start studying.”

Each participant will start from the 1-meter platform. But, with the permission of John Appleman, head coach of the Ohio State diving club, they will be able to work their way up to the 10-meter platform, with stops at the 3-meter, 5-meter and 7.5-meter platforms. As part of a prize incentive, students will be given Nalgene water bottles, Barkhurst said.

Appleman believes Splash Day will be more than just a fun experience, but one that will provide students with skills, such as overcoming a fear of heights and gain self-confidence by jumping off the platforms reaching up to 36 miles-per-hour, Appleman said.

“Splash Day is truly a unique opportunity to jump off of a height that you might not experience any other way.” he said. “Without a trained supervisor such as myself, it is against the law to go any higher than 3-meter. I encourage students to take advantage of the challenge and opportunity and take part in Splash Day, as it will be sure to excite.”

Splash Day is a free event for Ohio State students and registration is open at the RPAC Welcome Center until noon on Tuesday.