Adrenaline and sweat mixed with perfume is one of the signals for the beginning of a women’s division for the racquetball league at CU.

Since the league’s creation in 2003, it has always been co-ed, with Division A for advanced players and Division B for intermediates. Stephen Popp, league coordinator, said that female players approached him last semester about starting a women’s league that would focus more on fun rather than competition. Therefore, he created Division C for women only.

“The general consensus was that they would be more inclined to join a women’s only division as opposed to a co-ed division,” he said.

Divisions A and B are based on prior league experience. Names are placed on the rung of a competition ladder and players work their way up by challenging another player who holds a higher position. Once a challenge is issued, players arrange a competition time. If the challenger wins, he or she assumes the defenders position and the defender drops lower on the ladder.

Division C is similar, excluding the prior league experience. A challenge is issued, a game is played and a winner is established. But, instead of each player continuously moving up the ladder to get to the top, female players will be re-sorted randomly. This ensures that each player has a chance to be No.1 and play a different person each week. It also avoids total domination by one player.

Vicki Pratt, academic advisor for Professional and Graduate Studies, played last semester on the co-ed team. However, she switched to the women’s league in order to encourage and fellowship with the women; many of whom she recruited.

Pratt said that she felt comfortable competing against men but heard the opposite from other females.

She said that a reason for the murmur was “because a lot of them are new and it was intimidating to play with the men who are much more competitive.”

This is the first season for Kaye Carmichael, manager of switchboard and dispatch. She joined the league for wellness and fun, but more specifically, she joined the women’s division to play with people who aren’t so advanced.

“I’m a beginner and the men are good,” she said. “Those balls go up to 100 mph.”

 Now that the women’s division exists, Pratt said beginners, like Carmichael, “can start at ground level and not feel the pressure.”

 So far, 12 women are signed up. Popp, who is also a financial analyst in the business office at CU, said that the top eight female players with the best record will compete in a single-elimination tournament.

Whether playing co-ed or gender based, 43 people submitted the application and $5 fee and are signed up to play. Popp said more people have participated this year than any other year since the league’s creation. He attributes the success to better promotion, more student involvement and the women’s league.

Popp said the league is a great way to meet people and form relationships. The playing schedule is also very flexible.

“You can play as much as you want or as little as you want,” he said. “Do it whenever your schedule permits.”

Because of the flexibility and the busy work schedule of many, sometimes the game can be easily pushed off until later. In order to make sure people are continuously playing, Popp encourages players to compete at least once a week.

The competition started Sept. 9 and goes until Nov. 13. Popp, who was the racquetball champion last semester, said that spots are still open for newcomers.

He also said that he loves the game because it allows him to see college life beyond his back office in the Administration Building, which usually limits interaction with other people.

“It’s my only outlet and excuse to interact with students and other employees as well,” he said. “It reminds me that I work at a university and I get to see and interact with the students, which is fun.”