Intramurals at UW-Green Bay play a significant role in student engagement. There are four blocks of intramural sports at UWGB, and softball is offered in the first and fourth blocks. Games are played at Green Bay’s King Park, which is on East Circle Drive across the street from the Bay Settlement Road entrance to campus.
Softball is a co-rec sport, meaning there are to be at least two people of each gender when fielding a team. At least one female and one male must be in the infield and outfield when playing on defense. Teams are allowed to pick their own appropriate team name when going into each intramural block. Ball So Hard University (BSHU) was a softball team created in the fourth block of the 2022-23 school year. BSHU is comprised of 10 students (seven men and three women).
Intramural softball teams have a captain in charge of making a lineup and setting defensive positions before every game. Zach Bridges, a senior at UWGB, has been the captain of BSHU since the start of the 2023-24 school year. The first block has concluded, and BSHU finished with a record of 1-2-1, failing to make the intramural playoffs and finishing fifth overall.
There were eight teams in the final block of the 2024-25 school year and the first block of 2025-26. This is the largest number of teams the league has seen since the core group of players, including Bridges, started playing as sophomores in the 2023-24 school year.
The batting lineup consists of 9-10 individuals, left handed and right handed, depending on who shows up to the field that day. Bridges commented on what makes a perfect lineup.
“How can I mix our left and right-handed batters so that we’re hitting into different areas of the field?” Bridges said. “I also consider who is hitting the ball the most and how powerful we hit the ball; mixing that up brings the most success out of our team.”
Owen King, a Junior at UWGB, was a newcomer to BSHU in the final block of the 2023-24 season. He commented on what made him join the team.
King said, “I have always enjoyed competing and being part of a team. I love the sense of camaraderie within a team and having people to pick me up when needed.”
In terms of defensive alignment, each player has a crucial role to play. Jace Bletsch, the team’s center fielder, talked about his favorite part of his position. “Being able to read the ball off the bat, tracking the ball down, and communicating with the other outfielders,” he said.
Although BSHU won only one game during the season, that didn’t stop the team from having memorable moments: “This team always works well together and plays together and can beat more talented teams from having good chemistry,” said King.
For BSHU, intramural softball is more than winning. It’s about having fun while still being serious enough to compete to the best of their abilities. “I try my best to enter every game laid back, but my competitive side takes over, and I end up being more serious during the game,” said Bridges.
Seven of 10 members on BSHU’s roster are Seniors, meaning there is only one block remaining of softball intramurals before they graduate, leaving Bletsch sad to see his college days coming to an end. “The thrill of playing softball and making connections with many different people is something I will miss most about playing for BSHU,” Bletsch said. Intramural softball has been a great bonding experience for a group of friends looking for something to do outside of school.