The Anteater Recreation Center (ARC) is an 89,000-square-foot (8,300 m2) indoor gym facility that is part of campus recreation at the University of California, Irvine (UCI); the anteater is the mascot of the UC Irvine athletics team (see University of California, Irvine#Athletics for the mascot's origin and history). It is open to all UCI students, faculty and staff members, alumni, and other university affiliates, including spouses.
The facility was designed by Langdon Wilson Architecture. It opened in January 2000, replacing older, cramped recreational facilities at the school's older gym, Crawford Hall. Built at a cost of $26 million, it was funded by a student referendum approved in May 1996, when UCI students voted to pay an additional $88 per quarter to fund the center and other athletic and recreational facilities. The positive reception for the new center led students at other University of California campuses (such as UCLA) to push for similar improvements in their recreational facilities.
The facility has been the setting for several Guinness world record events, including a 4,448-participant dodgeball game in 2011 and a 3,875-combatant water pistol fight in 2013.
ARC facilities include, but are not limited to:
The main gym, which features three basketball or volleyball courts or nine badminton courts and utilizes hanging dividers to separate each courtA fitness lab, consisting of state of the art cardiovascular equipment, weight machines, and free-weights, as well as eight flat screen televisionsAn indoor jogging track with a clock timer and rubber flooringA 36’ high rock wall for beginning to advanced climbersThree glass-enclosed racquetball courtsFive activity rooms for various fitness classes, clinics, and programsPhysical Forum is the largest activity room and is home to Group Exercise classes, like Step, Pump N’ Sculpt, Aerobics, and ZumbaSports Studio has matted flooring and can be used for Martial Arts, wrestling, and stretchingActivity Annex is the main facility for table tennis, fencing, and instructional dance classesWorkout Shop is utilized by Yoga, Kendo, Capoeira, and Belly Dance classesTraining Zone offers Studio Cycling, Meditation, and Massage classesA back court gym, a 7,000-square-foot (650 m2) gym with rounded corners, team dugouts, and inset goals, perfect for floor hockey and indoor soccerA newly added Wellness Lab, geared towards functional training and featuring a Kinesis Wall and kinesis circuit machines, as well as cardio equipment and free weights and ten flat screen televisionsAn aquatics plaza with a 25 meter by 25 meter lap poolARC fields, a 25-acre (100,000 m2) outdoor complex, for sports such as softball, soccer, football, rugby, lacrosse, basketball, roller hockey, and tennis.Exercise Testing Rooms, where various fitness tests, such as “Bod Pods” and “VO2 Submax Tests”, are conductedMassage therapy rooms with have fully adjustable bedsA test kitchen and classroom that is used for demonstration and cooking classesARC Bar, offering fresh smoothies and light snacksARC services include, but are not limited to:
Classes and clinics that follow a non-credit, class format for learning or developing sportsClub sports directed to clubs centered on interest in one sport or fitness activity and involves competition among other collegiate club teamsIntramural sport leagues designed for student, faculty, and staff competitionTeam Up and ULead activitiesFitness and wellness programs designed to support participant physical exercise and health goalsCertified personal trainingKinesis circuit trainingPilates reformerExercise testingMassageOutdoor adventures, including kayaking and surfing, that provide an opportunity to overcome a psychological or physical challenge or barrierSailingCPR/First Aid classesGear Up, which checks out equipment ARC participants might need, including basketballs, racquets, swim goggles, rock climbing shoes, and shower towelsThe ARC offers many intramural sports every quarter (fall, winter, spring, summer) for all students, staff, and faculty, with an ARC membership, which are divided into leagues and tournaments.Intramural Sports are structured sport leagues and tournaments, which are designed for the everyday athlete. All of our activities are divided into different divisions of skill and competitiveness.Fall Quarter Sports: Arena Soccer, Flag Football, Volleyball, 3-on-3 Basketball, Coed Basketball, Tennis Singles, 7 on 7 Soccer, Dodgeball, Ultimate Frisbee, Racquetball SinglesWinter Quarter Sports: Soccer, Floor Hockey, Co-ed Reverse Volleyball, Basketball, Dodgeball, Softball, Wrestling, and TrackSpring Quarter Sports: Coed Indoor Soccer, Coed Volleyball, Softball, Call Your Own Basketball, Racquetball Singles, Swim, Bowling, Water PoloSummer Quarter Sports: Softball, 4 on 4 Coed Volleyball, 3 on 3 Basketball, 7 on 7 Soccer, KickballIn order to put in a team for Intramural sports you will need to pay a fee, make a roster complete with names, ID numbers, and 3 phone numbers and emails in case of rescheduling conflicts etc. This can be done at the Sales Desk on the 2nd floor of the ARC.League games start week 3 of the quarter and continue to week 7 or 8.Playoffs begin week 8 or 9 til week 10 or whenever necessary to finish the season.League Games take place on weekdays and sometimes Sundays while tournaments range from weekdays to sometimes Saturdays and Sundays.Games are officiated by trained student officials.
