Multi Media #1

“To provide your group with opportunities to accomplish new and exciting adventures together,” is the mission of the Rebel Challenge Course, according to their reservation request form.

The Rebel Challenge Course is located on the University of Mississippi’s Oxford campus near the intramural fields and is a part of Ole’ Miss Outdoors, also known as the OMOD. According to the OMOD website, the Rebel Challenge Course has been fully operational since February 15, 2009.

“The Rebel Challenge Course is a challenge and development course used for youth groups, corporate groups, class groups, sororities, fraternities, basically any group that wants to come out and work on team building and development skills with their group,” said Casey Armstrong, who works in the OMOD department as a challenge course facilitator.

According to Armstrong, the course has eight high elements, such as the climbing wall and zip-line, and 16 low elements. “The low elements are more used for team building and developing skills and the high elements are used for more challenging and development skills where you just try to accomplish your goal and make it to the top,” Armstrong said.

“The course can be reserved by anybody. To reserve you have to have at least 10 people and there really is no max number,” said Armstrong. As stated in the OMOD pamphlet about the Rebel Challenge Course, the price varies depending on how much time you spend on the course and if you are a student, UM department and non-profit organizations, or a corporate group. There are quarter days, which consist of 2 hours, half days which are 4 hours, and full days, which are 8 hours with a lunch break. Also, this fall the course is hosting Free Fridays, which are from 2-4p.m. every Friday. All you need is your student ID to participate.

Armstrong stated that many businesses are using the Rebel Challenge course as a company retreat destination. “A lot of groups that come out there don’t really know everyone in their groups and they don’t really know what’s going, so that’s kinda the whole point of the course, to get to know people and to get to trust people, work as a team to get through the low elements and accomplishing your goal,” said Armstrong.

There is no age requirement to participate on the Rebel Challenge Course. “There isn’t an age group but you don’t see anybody younger than about 8 or 10 out there,” Armstrong said. However, he also stated there is a waiver form that everyone has to sign before participating in the course. Persons with previous injuries must make the facilitators aware of their limitations to ensure everyone’s safety.

“I think the Rebel Challenge Course gives students an option to so something outside of their comfort level and it gives students a chance to meet and interact with other students,” said Traci Meredith, the coordinator of intramurals and sports clubs at the University of Mississippi and Rebel Challenge Course facilitator.

When Meredith was asked if she has ever participated in the Rebel Challenge Course, she responded, “I have participated. It’s fun just being with different groups and being out there when you already know how to do the elements and to let them figure it out."

To find out more about the Rebel Challenge Course you can visit the OMOD office located in the Turner Center, room 112 or call (662) 915-6735. You can also visit their website.