RWC News


News & Announcements


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UCF Recreation and Wellness Center now offering American Red Cross First Aid Classes to Community

Program Expands to Benefit Local Community Members

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The UCF Recreation and Wellness Center, in partnership with the American Red Cross, is now expanding our First Aid, CPR and AED Certification Courses beyond the UCF Community and offering this important opportunity to all persons in the central Florida area. The RWC's certified staff of trained instructors teach in a blended learning format, which includes and online component as well as an in-person class. The American Red Cross’ blended learning courses equip attendees to recognize and care for a variety of first aid breathing and cardiac emergencies involving adults, children, and infa

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UCF Paintball Club Wins First Ever CPPL National Title

Abigail Pichman '24

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Kissimmee, FL (May 14th, 2023) - Knights Paintball at UCF, one of the 43 Sport Clubs under the UCF Sport Club Council is celebrating its first championship title with the College Paintball Players League (CPPL). The CPPL is associated with the National Collegiate Paintball Association and consists of teams from across the United States including The Ohio State University and Drexel University which placed 2nd and 3rd place in the National Championship Tournament respectively. The league is an exceedingly competitive platform that aims to promote the sport of paintball among

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Jim Wilkening and Gary Cahen are Recognized by UCF for their Decades-Long Tenure with the RWC

Liana Progar

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On April 5, 2023, Jim Wilkening, the Executive Director of the Recreation and Wellness Center and Gary Cahen, the Associate Director of Programs for the Recreation and Wellness Center were honored at UCF’s 2023 Founders' Day Employee Honors Convocation. The event celebrated over 200 staff and faculty who have served UCF for two decades or more in addition to honoring “employees who are pursuing excellence and helping to unleash potential in others” (UCF).

Wilkening was awarded a Certificate of Achievemen

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Lexi Morrissey and Christian Ramirez represent UCF as National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) elected Student Leaders

Liana Progar

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ORLANDO, FL (Mar. 16, 2023) -
 UCF RWC Sport Clubs Graduate Assistant Lexi Morrissey and Intramural Sports Graduate Assistant Christian Ramirez were both elected as NIRSA Student Leaders. Morrissey was elected as the NIRSA Student Leader and is responsible for uniting and communicating with NIRSA members from the US and Canada. Ramirez was elected as the Region II Student Leader and is leading the charge of connecting and coordinating Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, T

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Pickleball Growing Nationally and at UCF

Author: Nicholas Porcelli

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Pickleball is growing in popularity in the United States, and that growth is being reflected by an Intramural Sports league at UCF.

According to the USA Pickleball website, pickleball was invented in 1965 in Bainbridge Island, Washington, when Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum were trying to find a way to entertain their children, and they ended up creating a sport described by many as a combination of table tennis and badminton. The website also said pickleball is played

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UCF Sports Clubs Program Celebrates 20th Anniversary

Author: Nicholas Porcelli

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The UCF Sports Clubs program celebrated its 20th anniversary of the program first being established on Feb. 24.

Jim Wilkening, the executive director of the RWC, said UCF established its sports club program in the spring of 2003. He said this happened when the school created the Sports Club Council, and the RWC took control of existing sports clubs at the school, like rugby and wrestling.

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The Money That Makes It Work: How UCF Sport Clubs Are Funded

Author: Nicholas Porcelli

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Just like the sport they compete in, the way each UCF sport club receives funding differs from one another.Jim Wilkening, executive director for the RWC, said that this past Friday marked the 20th anniversary of the sport club program being established at UCF — when the Sport Club Council was established and took control of 26 clubs. Today, sports clubs are thriving as Kristofer Newsome, assistant director for Sport Clubs and Risk Management, said there are currently 45 sport clubs classified as registered student organizations. He said that no two

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UCF students take on Tumbling Rock Cave Preserve in two-day trip to Alabama

Author: Caitlin Russo

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11 UCF students showed bravery and perseverance as they participated in the adventure of their lives at the Tumbling Rock Cave Preserve in Northern Alabama to expand their explorative horizons.

The Outdoor Adventure Center at the RWC is UCF's hub for once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Along with the various adventure trips that go on throughout the semester, students can also rent equipment like snorkeling and climbing gear for their own trips.

The OAC hosts several different adventure tri

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UCF CPR and first aid classes expect an increase in enrollment following Damar Hamlin’s collapse

Author: Caitlin Simpson

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An ordinary football game turned into a near tragedy after Damar Hamlin, a 24-year-old safety for the Buffalo Bills, collapsed.

During the Jan 2. NFL game, Hamlin's heart stopped when he tackled a Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver. Attendees throughout the stadium fell silent as Hamlin collapsed on-air in front of millions. Football fans watched live as first responders rushed to the field to perform lifesaving measures. Medics performed CPR and used shocks from an Automated External Defibrillator.

Dynesha Peterson, a UCF athletic training coordinator, noted how critica

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Hawaiian student celebrates Polynesian culture by teaching hula dance classes to UCF

Author: Ashley Marshall

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Grab some skirts and leis because a student from Hawaii has been teaching her peers the art of traditional Polynesian dancing at UCF's Recreation and Wellness Center.

Senior kinesiology major Allyson Prater has been teaching hula and Tahitian-style dances throughout October. The first class was held Oct. 12 and taught hula, and the second class taught Tahitian last Wednesday. The third class will be held on Oct. 26 and will teach a mixture of both dances.

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