Whether you’ve been looking for a healthy way to reduce stress or if you’ve just been waiting for a chance to triumph over your roommate at cornhole, intramural sports have an appeal for everyone.
Of the nearly eight million students who participate in high school athletics, less than 6.5 percent continue to play competitively in college—and this number is drastically lower for Division III schools.
There are plenty of reasons for this—to name just a few, college sports have a different atmosphere, more students have outside jobs, and schoolwork can seem more important when it costs thousands of dollars.
But even when motivated by the best of factors, it can be hard to give up sports entirely. Some athletes might truly love the sport, even if they find themselves unwilling to keep up with the rigorous practice and game schedule demanded by college teams. Also, the spirit of competition is addicting, and it can be hard to stay accountable to a consistent workout plan when you’re on your own.
Intramural sports are a fantastic opportunity for students to remain involved in athletics in a team setting, while remaining flexible enough for busy class and work schedules. They offer students an opportunity to stay active—without the added stress that often accompanies organized athletic teams.
Dustin Rudegair, the university’s assistant athletic director and the director of intramurals, cites friendly competition and the opportunity to meet students with similar interests as two of the most important benefits of participating in intramurals—and best of all, they’re entirely free!
This spring semester, leagues for basketball, indoor volleyball, and cornhole will be forming soon, and no athletic ability is required for participation. Even if you aren’t interested in playing, you can still become involved as a scorekeeper or supervisor—just contact Rudegair.
Days and times of games are still to be announced and depend upon facility availability.
Since there are no organized practices, the biggest time commitment from intramurals is one or two days a week, depending on game schedules. Generally, competitions are organized into a regular season, which determines playoff rankings, followed by playoffs that culminate in a championship game.
Registration is done entirely online (the link and a tutorial with instructions can be found on the intramural page of the Capital Athletics website), and although it is encouraged that you sign up with a team, ‘free agents’ are accepted, and Rudegair decides their team assignments.
