Intramurals: Just for fun, or is it?
Keira Solomon, Contributor
Forget the multi-million dollar contracts and the packed stadiums; real competitive action happens away from the cameras and the fame; instead, it takes place on a Tuesday night under fluorescent gym lights. It’s called intramural sports, and it’s a way for non-collegiate athletes to play with other university students.
The goal of intramurals is to keep students active, and the games often become competitively intense, going beyond simply being a way for university students to keep in shape.
There are five intramural sports offered at Mount Royal University (MRU)—hockey, volleyball, basketball, dodgeball, and futsal— each offering a unique sense of competition.
Each sport is categorised into three different skill levels—recreational, intermediate and advanced. They occur once a week, held either at Kenyon Court or the Stanley Gym, with the exception of hockey, which is at the Flames Community Arena.
An outlet for competition
Intramurals allow for students to participate in competitive sports while growing their social circle.
Many of the students who joined have played organised sports before. Like Lorelei Brown, who played sports in high school and is now involved in intramurals.
“Going from playing that level to nothing was kind of hell,” she said.
She credits intramurals with helping her to stay active, and although it is not the same high level she is used to, she enjoys the opportunity to be competitive.
Troy Strome—who plays volleyball—joined intramurals to stay active in a way that wasn’t just going to the gym.
“I wanted a new way to stay active, rather than just going to the gym, ’cause that gets stale after a while, and by having something that’s a bit more competitive, and has other people involved, it keeps it fresh, and it’s just more fun to bring in other people,” said Strome.
The goal of intramurals is to offer a wide range of competitive opportunities at MRU, opening the door for students who love sports and want to stay active while on campus.
“I was looking for a fun outlet. I’ve always been into organised sports, and I’m not playing at a university level,” said volleyball intramurals participant Olivia Engles.
Finding community in sport
MRU recreation opens their doors to everyone on campus; unfortunately, not many students are aware of the opportunity.
Some students are hesitant to join intramurals because they find it daunting to be part of a team with students they have never met before. But according to Brown and Strome, who joined intramurals without a team, the people participating are extremely welcoming.
“I’ve always found sports are a good way to make community easily,” Brown said.
Intramural matchups involve healthy and friendly competition. While there is solid competition on the floor, everyone is super supportive of each other. They show good sportsmanship by high-fiving each other and sharing words of encouragement.
There have been instances when Brown has made a mistake, and her team has been right there to encourage her.
“They’d come over, and they’re like, hey, hey, it’s okay, it’s okay. Next one, next one, you got this,” she said.
More than just a game
Intramurals foster a safe environment for students to grow, meet new people, and learn about the importance of physical health and well-being in their academic journeys.
According to Mount Royal’s player handbook, participants are expected to act in ways that create a respectful and inclusive environment. There is a human rights policy and several additional procedures in place to discipline individuals who don’t play in a respectful manner.
Additionally, MRU intramurals have a fair play point average, a score each team receives based on their sportsmanship during each game. The points are used as tiebreakers if necessary.
The fair play point creates an encouraging advantage for teams, encouraging competition between teams while inspiring participants to be good teammates to one another.
Most of the time, students exemplify high standards and seem to uphold sportsmanship. Mostly because people who enjoy playing sports actually like the competitive aspect.
Findings from a National Library of Medicine study on physical activity show a direct correlation between students’ mental health and their participation in physical activity, indicating that physical activity positively contributes to mental health.
The competitive atmosphere
Intramurals were created to provide MRU students with an athletic outlet, regardless of skill level.Brown expected the recreational level to be less competitive, but she is impressed with the level of competition in her league.
The friendly competition adds to the enjoyment of the game, as it heightens gameplay and camaraderie on the court.
“I was really glad to see everyone else being pretty competitive despite just being in a rec league,” Strome said.
Regardless of the academic stressors you might face tomorrow, spending a few hours competing in some friendly intramural matchups down in MRU rec might give you the physical break you need to succeed in the classroom.
