It’s five o’clock on a crisp fall afternoon and a dozen members of the Randolph College Social Sports Network exchange hugs and high fives as they split into two teams for a fun (if not quite ferocious) game of Ultimate Frisbee.

The Social Sports Network (SSN) is an improvised offshoot of the college’s intramural program, which typically attracted competitive, off-season athletes. The SSN, as faculty advisor Scott Ketcham envisions it, is just a great way for non-athletes to get out and have fun. “Less pressure, less trophies, more fun, and more socializing,” says Ketcham.

Ketcham, who was hired as Randolph’s first men’s lacrosse coach, came up with the idea after chatting with students during freshman orientation. The kids were looking for ways to stay active, but something that was geared toward athletes of all skill levels.

Ketcham knew just what they were looking for. After college, he and a bunch of buddies in the Washington D.C. area helped organize kickball leagues and coed softball games as excuses to hang out and break a sweat. And since every Randolph student is on Facebook, Ketcham created a SSN Facebook group where games could be announced and members could interact.

Some SSN activities include...

• Ultimate frisbee
• soccer
• volleyball
• basketball
• ping-pong tournament
• beach volleyball
• swimming
• Xbox and Wii tournaments
• quiz bowl
• and more.

Among the excited amateurs are even a few first-timers. “We have some international students as well,” says Ketcham. “So these are games they’ve never played—games they’ve never seen before in their lives. They’re having a great time.”

Contact Coach Ketcham to find out more about the Social Sports Network and check out the WildCat Den for info on all of Randolph’s varsity athletics teams.