MARFA — Anyone slacking on their exercise routine now has the ball in their court. MISD Hibbits Gym is open to all adults seeking some recreational activity with basketball and volleyball on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the rest of July.
“We want for the community to really have access to physical activity, recreational activity,” said Linda Ojeda, MISD’s athletic director.
The public initiative is run by Marfa ISD under her direction, and offered as a free service to the public. Marfa resident PJ Serrano, who came to Ojeda with the idea, told The Big Bend Sentinel that although things have been running smoothly, the numbers haven’t been very high.
“We’re running about five members a day, but we wanna reach more,” he said. “We just want people to get back out there and be healthy and know that there’s something for them to do.”
Currently, there are several things in the way of Open Gym becoming a long-term initiative. Namely, the school’s junior high, JV and varsity volleyball teams are about to start their competitive cycle, for which they will be using up both gyms and all their coaches, according to Ojeda. Still, she and Serrano are optimistic about future initiatives that could come out of Open Gym.
Ojeda said her “long-term goal” is to work with the Marfa Athletic Booster Club to start a sports league in the city.
“If it gets people in the door, it’s a good thing. Let people know we’re here, even if they’re not in school,” MISD Superintendent Oscar Aguero said about Hibbits Gym being used.
Those who decide to take part in Open Gym sessions can meet Ojeda at Hibbits Gym between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays to sign a waiver and take part in an orientation.