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Not everyone is good enough to play sports at the collegiate level, nor does everyone want to, what with the added pressure to compete and the intense practice schedules that come along with being a college athlete.
However, one thing that most students love to be involved in is intramural sports with the Campus Recreation Services here at the U.
Matt McCarthy, intramural and sport clubs manager, played intramural sports while he was in college and enjoyed it so much that he went to graduate school to pursue a career in the field. He believes that by participating in intramural sports, students get a well-deserved break from school.
“I love everything about it,” McCarthy said. “I think the escape that it provides is the opportunity to try something new. This is one of the better qualities of intramural sports. It really helps you create a community within the university.”
McCarthy went on to say that he is still friends with some of the people he played on intramural teams with. Whether you have a group of friends ready to compete or you just want to join the “free agent” list and get on a team that way, there are a number of ways to participate and meet new people.
Some of the sports available for students to participate in are flag football, sand volleyball, soccer, basketball and softball. Students can have vast experience in a sport, or no experience at all — the leagues are open for everyone to try.
“It’s a wide variety of students,” McCarthy said. “It’s just not for someone who played high school soccer, high school football, [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][or any high school sport][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] in hopes to continue that competitive nature. It’s for everyone.”
According to McCarthy, there were about 2,500 to 3,000 students who participated in intramural sports last year. He has seen all types of students playing, whether it is a team from a certain major within the university or a team from a student dorm floor. There’s a place for everyone in the intramural sports program.
Marifel Jimenez played in the intramural basketball league this last year and loved every minute of it. She also felt that it was very organized, which made it feel more legitimate.
“I had a lot of fun because you get to choose your team and choose who you play with and you get to play with your friends,” Jimenez said.
For those students who played a sport in high school, intramurals provide a unique outlet for those said students who want to stay in shape and play their sport at a level they feel comfortable with.
“Intramurals are a good way to get people active and be a part of the school,” Jimenez said. “I enjoy being on a team and you got to actually be in a game which was my favorite part.”
That said, don’t mistake comfort for ease. While some might think that intramural sports are effortless, there are many students here at the U that take these games very seriously.
Spenser Vincent is a student at Utah and played on the same basketball team as Jimenez. According to him, while the games can get real intense, the players still find amusement.
“It’s a lot of fun,” Vincent said. “There’s definitely a competitive aspect. It’s better to play a pick-up game if you’re looking for something lighter. But for the most part it’s just for easy and I enjoyed it a lot.“
While there is a competitive aspect to it, when it comes time for playoffs, the intramural office does its best job of splitting things up. McCarthy and company have created two leagues for the playoffs — one competitive and one recreational. This way, the competition is evenly split.
By participating in intramurals, Vincent believes he will enjoy his college experience more than if he didn’t participate.
“It’s a great way to enjoy school while you’re doing it,” Vincent said. “I loved the team experience and being able to play with friends.”
There are four seasons of intramural sports, and McCarthy’s team loves seeing all the students having fun. McCarthy emphasized the sense of community within intramurals and recommends that everyone give it a shot, no matter your skill level.
“Our staff loves working with the students and our staff is mostly students,” McCarthy said. “It strengthens the sense of community for a student and it’s also an escape from classes. It’s an escape from the grind that is college and because of this, they have something to look forward to at the end of the day.”
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