The Huston Huffman Center: Good or Bad

Mid-Term Project

The Huston Huffman Center is the physical fitness center the University of Oklahoma provides for its students. It is located on the south side of the football stadium in between Lindsey and Timberdell streets just off of Jenkins Ave. The Huffman Center opened in 1981 and has been a major hit with OU students ever since. It is named after OU Regent, Huston Huffman for his dedication to the welfare of Oklahoma students. "The Huff" is a 150,000 square feet dedicated to fun and fitness during college.

Even though the Huffman Center was built for OU students they do allow non-students to have memberships there to use as their personal fitness center. The facilities at the Huffman Center are top of the line as they have brand new machines and free weights for students and members to use. They have 12 basketball courts that can all turn into volleyball courts if required. They have four racquetball courts and 2 squash courts, an indoor track that is a sixth of a mile long, two rock climbing walls, several different large aerobic centers with t readmills and bikes, and two different rooms where they hold different workout related classes. They also provide massage therapy for anyone who needs it and they have tremendous locker facilities that allow a lot of room and shower area for students/members to use.

OU students are very proud of their Huffman Center as they pack it out daily to try and enhance their physical fitness and improve their self esteem level. Emily Myers is a student at the University of Oklahoma and she frequents the Houston Huffman Center to stay in shape. "I really like coming the Huff and running and doing some different physical activities to keep my body healthy and stay as healthy as possible," said Myers. She likes to play racquetball and run on the indoor track the center has to offer.

Huston Huffman Center employee, Jeff Bolt, says that the Huffman Center without a doubt provides sooner students with a more than adequate fitness center. "We like to pride ourselves on this place what it has to offer, not only in physical fitness but the Huff also gives nutrition advice and classes on how to maintain good physical health," said Bolt.

Oklahoma State just recently built a brand new state of the art physical fitness center called the Culvin Fitness Center but other than that the Huston Huffman Center is on top of the Big 12 in university physical fitness centers. Oklahoma State student, Byron Fisher, says he has friends at most of the Big 12 schools and they don't compare to what OSU and OU have to offer in physical fitness centers. "I have a lot of friends that go to Big 12 universities and they don't like their fitness centers that are provided for them by their respective universities," said Fisher.

The Huston Huffman Center is also home to the intramural games that take place here during the school year. Basketball, volleyball, and several other intramural sports such as racquetball take place at the Huffman Center as well. The only intramural sports that do not take place at the Huffman Center are flag football, softball, and soccer for obvious reasons. The intramural games are some of the most popular events that happen at OU during the school year for the students because it allows the students to get out and compete in an athletic forum against other students. It is a time that students can get out of the dorm rooms, apartments, the library, put the books away and get away from the rugged academic schedule and take their minds off of everything else and have some fun with their friends. "I really enjoy being able to take part in the intramural games because I love to play sports and compete and intramurals gives me a chance to do both," said OU student Connor Johnson who plays intramural football, basketball, and softball for the Brothers Under Christ fraternity.

The Huffman Center is open Sunday-Thursday from 8 A.M. until midnight and Fridays and Saturdays from 8 A.M. until 8 P.M. so their hours are very college oriented. "We like to make it an effort to stay open during the times that college students usually are available to come and workout because of their strenuous schedules they have on a daily basis," said Jeff Bolt, Huston Huffman Center employee. There is no doubt that the Huston Huffman Center is certainly a blessing for OU students.