Illustration by Drew Buckmaster
Article by Katelyn Martin
NEWBERG, Ore. – On Oct. 30, University Recreation (UREC) staff donned their costumes, preparing for Hadlock’s annual Halloween climbing event, Rocktober. There were snacks, drinks and 33 different climbing routes set up for participating students.
Rocktober is a chance for both seasoned and new climbers to support one another in a fun environment. “The overall goal of Rocktober is to celebrate the community we have at the climbing wall here,” said Nate Freeman, assistant director of UREC. “As soon as you step foot on the mats, you’re part of the climbing community.”
In 2025 Roctober experienced record breaking participation. Sophomore Braxton Smith returned this year, marking his second year at Rocktober. To him, it is a great way to have fun.
Strung from wall to wall were pumpkin lanterns, music filling the background as participants cheered each other on. The goal wasn’t to see who could climb the best—everyone was there to push themselves and support one another.
“It’s nice to compete against yourself in a themed competition,” said Daphne Cantellay, a UREC student employee.
Rocktober is just one of the opportunities that George Fox University (GFU) offers for students to engage in community and friendly competition. Those who enjoyed the community and low-stakes competition of Roctober may also enjoy UREC’s intramural sports.
George Fox offers a wide variety of intramurals, including volleyball, badminton, basketball, dodgeball, and soccer. Students can sign up through IMLeagues or in person at Hadlock. Students can register as a group or individually by registering as a free agent and add themselves to an existing team.
“I was able to sign up with a bunch of my friends and it was great being able to celebrate with them, be competitive with them and even be disappointed with them, too,” said junior Ethan Quirie, a UREC student employee.
With existing friends or new friends, intramurals are a low pressure way to compete, build camaraderie and take a break from studying. “It’s a really fun way to get your body moving and get your mind off school,” said Cantellay.
Cantellay used to play in competitive sports. To her, joining intramurals gives her an activity to look forward to throughout the week and stay active and competitive in a low-stress environment.
Quirie advises interested students to join an intramural sport: “You can’t go wrong; I would highly recommend it,” he said.
Whether attending a UREC event such as Rocktober or committing to an intramural, GFU offers many activities for sport, growth and connection.
