Cap10K Maniacs Coverage

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Corey Schneider: IM Legend

Dodgeball, softball, flag football, you name it. Corey Schneider has done it all.

“It’s all about the shirts,” Corey said about the shirts awarded to intramural champions. The king of intramurals, Corey participates in several different leagues that the University of Texas has to offer. As the end of his sophomore year approaches, Corey has already played on 21 different IM teams.

“My goal is to beat my brother,” Corey said. “It’s a challenging but attainable goal.” Corey’s brother, Gary, happened to be a big IM enthusiast as well back in his day at UT. He played on more than 50 teams during his four years at school.

“I loved IMs so much because it combined so many of the things I truly enjoyed into one,” Gary said. “You get sports, activity, competition, meeting new people and friends all in one place. I was able to find a handful of people who loved those things like I did and bond through IMs.”

Gary graduated this past winter and now works as a physical therapist. “Corey and I have a good relationship,” Gary said. “We are extremely competitive with sports. He is better than me at some and I am better than him at some, so it is always fun to compete against each other.”

Gary raised the bar with his 50 teams and five IM championships, but Corey will be up to the challenge because of his fierce competitive nature. “Corey is intense in life. He is also extremely competitive,” Gary said. “So when you combine competition with his personality, it's fun to watch. If you aren't competitive, you probably don't want to be around Corey when he's competing.”

Corey (left) and his brother Gary (right) both played for UT club baseball last year.

“Well any story we have won't do it justice because you have to be there to experience it,” Gary said. “But one time sticks out to me, when I was watching Corey's IM coed flag football team play a regular season game. Corey is the center and he is clearly in charge, shown by the way he demands the ball as soon as the play is over, dictates the huddle, and shouts commands before, during, and after the play. For example if the QB takes a sack and Corey thinks he should have thrown the ball away, Corey will vibrantly tell him right after the play. One specific play, the team completed a deep pass to a guy, and before even cheering or being excited in any way, Corey immediately started yelling ‘GIRL! GIRL! GIRL! GIRL!’ repeatedly and at the absolute top of his lungs. He wanted the guy to lateral the ball to a girl for a nine-point touchdown instead of six. Everyone at the complex could hear him.”

“I enjoy playing with someone like Corey because of his passion for sports,” said Mia Fredricks, one of his IM teammates. “Corey and I originally became friends because of our common passion for athletics. We are very close friends and have always worked out and played sports together. So naturally we wanted to do intramurals together.” Mia and Corey have played together on nine different co-ed teams the past two years. “Corey's passion for sports and winning makes him an excellent teammate and co-captain,” Mia said.

Corey and Mia pose after winning the dodgeball championship.

“Corey is a tremendous competitor and he hates to lose,” says Joseph Cadena. Joseph played on three different IM football teams with Corey over the past two years. “He demands a lot, and it can be a challenge matching his intensity at first, but the results speak for themselves. I enjoy playing with Corey because he's a hard worker and always strives to bring out the best in everyone else. He can be a bit hardheaded at times but overall is a joy to be around on the field.”

Corey has already won three championships of his own in dodgeball, table tennis, and most recently, flag football. He still has four semesters left to surpass his brother’s records, but he doesn’t intend to stop there. “My goal is to win 10 championships before I leave this place,” Corey said. “That way I will be a member of intramural immortality.”

Corey, who will double major in journalism and kinesiology, appreciates sports and fitness. He works out on a strict, daily schedule for the club baseball program at UT. He plays catcher for the club baseball team when he’s not playing intramurals. He strongly supports teams from his hometown Dallas, especially the Texas Rangers. He also likes to volunteer at the Texas Student Television station as a sports anchor in his infrequent spare time. “My aspiration is to become a Sports Center anchor,” Corey said. “However, on the off chance that doesn't work out, I would like to be a physical therapist like my brother.”

Most recently, Corey just won his third overall championship with a co-ed flag football victory. His team, Title IX, named after a part of the Education Amendments of 1972 banning gender discrimination, won the championship game in dramatic fashion.

“This year in the championship, my co-ed football team was playing the same team that knocked us out of the playoffs in the fall. We were down by 11 points on the last play of the game, meaning we have to score at least a 9-point touchdown and then at least a 2-point conversion. I hiked it to our girl quarterback, who played softball at Georgetown University, and she threw a long corner pass to one of our guys. The other team dove to intercept the pass, tipped it up, and our guy caught it after falling on the ground. We were now down by two, and had a playoff IM basketball game to rush to, so we decided to go for three points for the win, which is from twice as long as the 2-point conversion on the field. I hiked it to our male quarterback, with our receiver running a post-corner. The defense bit on the post, and while rolling out to his right, our QB through a bullet to our receiver near the corner of the end zone. The ball was perfectly placed, and our receiver dragged his feet as he caught the game-winning conversion reception. We won 22-21 and secured the championship shirts.” Corey now owns three shirts.

Corey, on the far right, and his teammates from Title IX celebrate their co-ed flag football championship.

“I think IMs are a constructive way for students to escape the stress of the academic side of college,” Corey said. “It is a great way to meet people, and an even better way for friends to better themselves as teammates. It's also a great motive for exercise, which is often hard to come by in college.”

Corey dedicates many hours to IMs, but his love for it makes for easy commitment.. “I love IMs because they are my primary source of motivation for strength and fitness,” Corey said. “Without them, I wouldn't have a place to display the strength and skills I work so hard for on a daily basis.”

“I knew Corey pretty well before starting to play intramurals with him, but I would say my respect for his determination to win improved after playing with him,” Mia said. “He's willing to challenge a call, he respects the referees, he goes out of his way to meet new people and potential teammates, and he has a passion for intramurals that is not easily found. I thoroughly enjoy playing on IM teams with him and look forward to many more successful seasons.”

Corey currently captains an intramural softball team that plays every Monday night.

Asked if Corey could beat all of his records, “Sure he can,” Gary said. “He got started earlier than me. I didn't really start building my intramural repertoire and taking my teams really seriously until I was a junior. So since he will probably have played on many more teams than me, and spend a lot of money on intramurals, I hope he is able to make it worth it by winning numerous shirts.”

Both Schneiders know, after all, that it’s all about the shirts.

Corey poses with all three of his intramural championship shirts.