Baseball, soccer, field hockey, cross- country, softball, the list of outdoor sports is endless. The free atmosphere of the great outdoors is countered with the safe and secures sanctuary of a gymnasium that shelters indoor sports such as volleyball, basketball, and wrestling. But, in the great athletic debate of outdoor and indoor sports, which is better?

For some, nothing can compare to the great outdoors. Outdoor athletes embrace the organic settings, enduring whatever Mother Nature may throw at them. Whether it’s the nuisance of snow in the middle of a major football game, or the inconvenience of rain interrupting a baseball game, players learn to adapt to their surrounds and ignore such weather conditions in order to stay entirely focused on the game. Long distance runners, for example, who persevere through the brutally intense heat, understand that victory is sweeter after a more difficult journey.

“Playing in different types of weather is so much fun,” says Nicole Meadows, sophomore. “Playing softball in the rain is the best!”

Many a time an outdoor athlete will hear their coach say “dress appropriately for the weather” because neither wind nor sleet, snow nor hail, nor any of the numerous weather conditions will cease the dedication of a serious athlete.

On the contrary, some other athletes are not fans of playing under these various weather conditions. They enjoy the warmth and shelter of a gymnasium. Although, indoor athletes do not experience the sun on their face or grass beneath their cleats during a game, there are several pros to playing inside. For one, an athlete can depend on the sport; they know that despite the cold or the rain, their game will always be played. They know that they will have a clean arena, they know that they can play their sport without the worry of certain elements such as the sun in their eyes, and they know that the game doesn’t have the possibility of being cancelled due to darkness. In sum, indoor sports are reliable no matter what the time, place, or weather.

Emily DeFazio, athlete who plays both indoor and outdoor sports for two different seasons, says that she prefers indoor sports because “you can practice all year round”. Granted, “I like volleyball better [than softball] so I’m bias,” admits DeFazio.

Personally, being an outdoor athlete, I enjoy the sun on my face and the wind in my hair. I love the feel of dew on my cleats as I warm up for a softball game on a summer morning or celebrating a field hockey win being soaked to the bone and knowing that it was all worth it! Gymnasiums make me claustrophobic. I have nothing negative to say about volleyball or basketball; however as I watch them, I feel constrained. I have come to terms that I only like outdoor sports.

Despite the differences between indoor sports and outdoor sports, there is no clear ‘winner’ to this debate. The true answer is based solely on each and every individual’s preference. And so, I ask all of you: Which is better, outdoor or indoor sports?