{"id":3574,"date":"2019-07-30T11:40:36","date_gmt":"2019-07-30T15:40:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cah.ucf.edu\/imprint\/?p=3574"},"modified":"2019-07-30T11:40:44","modified_gmt":"2019-07-30T15:40:44","slug":"ucfs-outdoor-adventure-center-offers-alternative-recreational-opportunities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cah.ucf.edu\/imprint\/ucfs-outdoor-adventure-center-offers-alternative-recreational-opportunities\/","title":{"rendered":"UCF\u2019s Outdoor Adventure Center Offers Alternative Recreational Opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Lillian M. Hern\u00e1ndez Caraballo <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Outdoor Adventure<\/a> program may just be UCF\u2019s best-kept secret. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A part of the larger UCF Recreation and Wellness Center<\/a> (RWC), Outdoor Adventure serves students with a variety of physical activities that offer alternative opportunities for recreation and connection. Their focus is being as eco-friendly, educational, and inclusive as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, for students who may be tired of\nspending every Friday night at an Orlando club, perhaps a nighttime challenge\ncourse competition would sound like a nice change of pace. Or for those who may\nbe trying to cope with the stresses of student life, renting out a kayak for a\nlone rowing excursion down a peaceful lake could provide some much-needed relaxation.\nThe goal of the program is to offer outdoor experiences to those looking to\nbreak routine or enrich their college experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The physical challenges are but a part of the program; the results include skill-learning, team-building, and bonding. Program coordinator Katherine Rocco attested to the strong community that has formed around activities like the climbing tower<\/a>. \u201cIt is very alternative to other sports. It is still physical activity but we\u2019re engaging people from a lot of different areas and backgrounds, while providing recreation,” expressed Rocco during an interview. “Recurring participants build a community within that they wouldn\u2019t have found elsewhere. Students from different places just seem to find a home at the climbing tower.\u201d Other activities and facilities covered by Outdoor Adventure include the challenge course<\/a>, hiking, whitewater rafting, camping, caving, backpacking expeditions, tubing, night paddling, SCUBA certifications<\/a> and access to the Lake Claire Recreational Area<\/a>, among many more. If any of this sounds interesting to you, then a visit to the Outdoor Adventure Center (OAC) should be your next stop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Located within the RWC, the OAC serves as a sort of hub for the program. There, students can find the main offices and meet a friendly staff of coordinators, supervisors, and trip leaders who are available to provide orientation. At the OAC, students can also sign up for adventure trips<\/a> as well as check out books, maps, and outdoor guides from their library. They can even rent equipment<\/a> to plan adventure trips of their own. Some of the equipment available to students include backpacks, tents, stoves, sleeping bags, flashlights, kayaks, surf boards, water coolers, and more. Groups can walk out with everything they need for an outdoor adventure for under $35 dollars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The main goals of the Outdoor Adventure program are to engage all kinds of students with different platforms for growth and learning and to connect students to each other and their natural environment. All of it is exclusive to UCF students and minds specific needs, such as affordability, flexibility, and safety. Therefore, these trips and activities are designed to be both inclusive and adaptive<\/a>, so students do not need to be experienced athletes to enjoy themselves. The trip leaders are trained to make sure they can accommodate everyone, from beginners to experts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Student lead and supervisor of Outdoor Adventure Carolyn Mitchell says\nthe OAC is standing by with all the equipment and training necessary to extend\ntrips involving activities such as adaptive kayaking, adaptive rock-climbing,\nand adaptive surfing to students with mental or physical limitations as well. One of the main goals of the program is to enable students\nwho have the desire to engage in the outdoors but may lack the resources or\ncapabilities to do so, according to Mitchell. “We have adaptive\nopportunities, so people who may be physically injured or somehow bodily or\nmentally disabled can participate,” Mitchell explained. “But\ninclusivity also extends to those who may lack resources like time or money to\nenjoy other hobbies and have experiences they otherwise wouldn’t have.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, the OAC\u2019s most popular trip, Learn to Surf<\/a>, takes place twice every spring and fall semester and once in the summer. This scheduling makes it so different students have the chance to go. It is only $15 to sign up and that money covers trained instructors, safety equipment, transportation to Ormond Beach, surfing gear like boards and wet suits, and a setup at the beach with water coolers and a tent for shade. The trip is an excellent opportunity to relax and connect with other students, as well as, of course, learn to surf! Many of the students who participated in last spring\u2019s event on March 31 said they enjoyed themselves and planned to do it again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n