Lucas Gebhart
Sports Editor
ISU intramurals offer students an escape from the stressfulness of college and give structured workout times through organized sports.
Five-on-five basketball is the first of many sports that are offered through the intramural programs.
Registration opens Jan. 11, and closes Jan. 21, with play beginning Jan. 25.
If you missed the deadline to register, don’t worry: ISU offers more than just basketball. Volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, indoor soccer and flag football and an abundance of other sports also run in the spring semester.
All students, staff, faculty and alumni are welcome to participate.
“The freshman 15 is a real thing,” said Intramurals Director Shelby Williams. “Intramurals are a scheduled time to exercise. You can get cardio exercise by playing an hour-long basketball game and have a lot of fun doing it.”
College is not all about going to class. While that is important, some of the best college experiences can come when students broaden their horizons, try something new and make new friends.
“College is about the whole experience,” Williams said. “It becomes a social outlet. It is important to get involved in extracurricular things other than finding out where the library is.”
Once out of high school, it is difficult to find any type of organized athletic activity. Intramurals give students another chance to keep playing the sports they love.
“We organize the league, schedule games, and tournaments,” Williams said. “It is a good way to meet people, stay active and fill your mind with things other than textbooks.”
Each team pays a $50 entry fee that will cover the expenses needed to organize the activities.
$50 may seem expensive, but considering that there are seven to 10 people on each team, the price per person is relatively low.
A league is a regular season that consists of six to eight games and then a playoff. Game are primarily in the evenings from 7 to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
If that is too much of a time commitment, students can also participate in one night events that require no registration.
“Students have classes during the day,” Williams said. “Even things like work come into play. We do our best to work around other people’s schedules.”
Students can form their own teams with friends and fill empty roster spaces with a free agent system that Williams has devised.
The free agent system allows for students to sign up without a team. Free agents are put into the system and assigned to teams that need more players; this way everybody who wants to play can.
Whether you are out to win a championship with friends, or are out to meet new people and try a new sport, intramurals are for you. Any level of competitiveness is welcome.
“It forces you to get out of your little bubble,” Williams said.
There are leagues within leagues that set the competitiveness to fit everybody.
Basketball for example has a Men’s A, Men’s B, Coed and Women’s league.
The A level is highly competitive, while the B level is more recreational and serves as a happy medium between competitive and entertaining.
Coed is also offered. It is three women and two men on the court for each team and they get the choice of playing with a men’s or women’s ball.
“You want it to be fun for everybody,” said Williams. “It is not fun to get slaughtered in every game.”
That is why Williams gives teams a two-week time frame to adjust which league they want to be in.
College students are busy people. Because each team has enough depth to fill a starting lineup and a small bench, students can miss games if needed. Flexible schedules are built into the program.
“I am a realist,” Williams said. “As long as I am given 24 hours’ notice I can make adjustments to the schedule.”
Employment opportunities are also offered through the intramural program. Students can be employed as officials and scorekeepers.
“I am a firm believer in giving back,” Williams said. “Student fees are funding my program and I want to give back to the student by giving them a positive experience and employment opportunities,”
Williams hosts a number of one-night events such as a dodgeball tournament, kayak jousting and sand volleyball.
“Some people don’t want to sign onto a full league,” Williams said. “We are still wanting to go towards everybody’s interests.”
You can register online at imleagues.com/isu.
If you want to learn more about intramural opportunities on campus, contact Shelby Williams at 208-282-3516 or a student coordinator at 208-282-4405.
