Not every student contains the makeup to be a member of the WolfPack sports teams, but this doesn’t mean they have to give up on team sports while they are in college. There are plenty of opportunities for students to stay in shape and flex their competitive muscles on campus.
Madison College offers a wide range of intramural sports that anyone with a valid one card may participate in. The current season recently winded down though the fall will bring a chance for students new and old to get in on the action.
Basketball and volleyball will be offered and there is hope to have both soccer and flag football as long as a proper space for holding them can be established. There are also a variety of one-time activities such as bowling and a golf outing in addition to students being able to rock climbing at Boulders for a discounted rate.
Intramural intern Kirsty Lowry expressed that intramurals are an open environment. The basketball can be competitive at times, though sometimes the volleyball teams do not even keep score. She feels that there are a lot of benefits to taking part, including friendships along the way.
“The bond you get as a team or just meeting new people. The skills you get with that specific sport. Fitness, health — just having a good laugh,” Lowry said. “It’s not something that people generally train for. Just show up on the night and play. It’s very social.”
The games usually take place in evenings starting between 6:15 and 8:00. The Student Activities Board decides on the funding for intramural sports. This helps pay for referees, t-shirts, and the discounts on things like bowling or golf.
Currently the school is looking at the potential development of a challenge course on campus and perhaps a frisbee golf course to go along with that. The hope is to help bring in students who want to get fit, but maybe aren’t a fan of the more traditional sports.
Bowling, rock climbing, and golf do contain small fees to participate while all other sports are free of charge. This makes it a cheap and easy way for students to be fit.
“I think it’s important because one of the things a lot of the latest literature says is we want people to be active, at every age group,” said Scot Vesterdahl, intramural director. “So intramural sports offers people a great opportunity to be active, to move, and meet other people.”
Students are welcome to contact the intramural department if they have an idea of their own for adding a sport. The staff is happy to work with people. The main issue that can occur with such things is finding the proper place to hold events. The current construction on campus has made this a bit harder for now.
While there are flyers and posters around campus about intramurals, Lowry expressed that she still thinks that not enough people know about intramural sports currently. She expressed a desire for more students to find out what the intramural sports are like.
“Just wanting them to know it’s a supportive fun environment. Just knowing it’s really open, it’s really friendly, really supportive,” Lowry said. “That’s why we are there. To allow everyone to join in on some level, whatever their level is.”
There are no fitness or skill requirements of anybody to participate and all leagues are co-ed. Students just need to register under intramural sports in the A-Z index at matcmadison.edu. Friends may group up to be on a team together or as individuals.