By Edson Barrantes
Collegian Staff Writer

If you find yourself walking through the South Gym at 11 a.m. on a Friday, Bart Ballard̢۪s class may make you take a detour.

The sounds of basketballs bouncing, shoes screeching and players trash-talking echo throughout the halls. Curious students peek their heads into the gym to check out the commotion. The basketball class in progress doesn̢۪t notice a growing group of bystanders.

Victor King drives the lane for an easy layup. “You’re too old to guard me,” the 6-foot-4-inch senior advertising major barks at his opponent.

Oohs and aahs fill the gym. King is trash-talking his teacher.

Ballard̢۪s apparel lets him fit in perfectly with the students. The navy and white Nike shorts go below his knees. His Fresno State T-shirt is a faded red. His white Adidas socks complement his white Adidas sneakers.

Ballard often gets confused for a student. He̢۪s also the director of intramurals at Fresno State.

While Ballard̢۪s age might sometimes be mistaken, the way the intramurals program has blossomed under his guidance is unmistakable. In his six-year tenure as director, the program has gained in popularity and the list of available sports continues to grow.

EJ Edmerson is one of Ballard̢۪s students and friends. Edmerson said Ballard is like one of the guys.

“Except he’s more of a mentor. You respect him because he knows what he’s talking about and is always willing to give advice,” said Edmerson, 23, a senior communications major. “Plus, he can be funny and witty.”

Edmerson met Ballard when he enrolled in Ballard’s kinesiology class in fall 2002. They soon were — and continue to be — teammates for a traveling slow-pitch softball team.

Ballard is the shortstop. He̢۪s the oldest and he̢۪s the leader of the team.

The 36-year-old husband and father of three is far from a college student. You won̢۪t find him anywhere near the local hot hangout or the next fraternity party. You can find him riding his dirt bike or landscaping yards.

He has, however, been confused many times as one of the kids.

“First time I saw him, I thought he was a student,” said Kristy Brooks, 22. “He definitely doesn’t look 36.”
Students aren̢۪t the only ones that share this observation.

“He looks around 28,” said Lerin Mundell, the assistant intramural director and Fresno State graduate. “But he acts like he’s 23.”

Age jokes aside, Ballard has basically built the intramural program from scratch.

“When I arrived, we offered four sports,” said Ballard, who earned his bachelor’s degree in recreation administration and sports management in 1997 from Brigham Young University. “Currently, we offer 10 different sports all with men, women and co-ed divisions.”

The sports are flag football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, kickball, raquetball, softball, inner-tube water polo, team tennis and dodgeball.

According to Ballard, in the 1999-2000 academic year, there were 257 intramural participants. In the 2005-2006 academic year, the number stood at 2,335 participants.

Ballard claims his success is partly due to imagination. He says as a kid, he used to invent games to play with his brother.

His skill at inventing games is evident with inner-tube water polo, which he introduced two years ago. The game is similar to water polo, but instead the person sits precariously inside an inner tube during the game.

Ballard cites difficulties with funding as an obstacle in attaining his dream program here at Fresno State, where he earned his master̢۪s degree in kinesiology in 2000. More funky offerings will likely have to wait.

Back on the court with his class, Ballard says the relationship he has built with students is a big factor why the program is so successful.

“In the end, you have to give students what they want,” says Ballard, as he sinks a 3-pointer. “This is their program.”

Ballard says he often continues his relationships with students even after they graduate. Many students see Ballard as a long-term mentor.

“On the field, he’s in charge,” said Fresno State graduate and one of Ballard’s former students, Mark Gutierrez. “Off the field, the whole team knows to ask Bart questions about anything, because he’s always here for everyone. He’s basically the father of the team.”

Ballard̢۪s employees are also aware of his demeanor.

Woodlake native Nick Carrasco has been an employee of Ballard̢۪s for five years. Carrasco has had his time on the court with Ballard, like the students of today. But Carrasco says his relationship with Ballard is nothing like any other student-teacher relationship he̢۪s ever had.

Carrasco considers Ballard a friend.

“He’s real competitive,” said Carrasco, a kinesiology major. “At the same time, he’s always teaching and coaching us.”