Did you know that sports play a major role in our lives? Whether you are just a fan or an athlete, it allows a community to come together with a connection. Intramural sports are a great way to get involved. Not only does it just give you something to do, but it is very important to your health. I enjoy playing intramural sports because of the joy it brings to myself and the people around me. Playing sports comes with plenty more benefits than you think. Here are 8 reasons why you should join intramural sports at URI.
1) Stay Competitive
Many students at URI have played at least one organized sport in the past. Whether it’s the Amatuer Athletic Union (AAU), summer league, or even high school these all count as organized sports. I played a majority of my sports in high school, but there came a day when it was time for me to hang up my cleats. I remember the amount of sadness I had when my athletic high school career came to an end. Entering college, you may think like I did, that just because you aren’t on an official NCAA roster that you can’t play. Yet you know you still have this competitive energy and don’t know what to do with it. This is where intramural sports come in! Intramural sports are a great way to jump back into doing what you love and remain competitive!
2) Team building
If there’s one thing I know, it’s that there is no “I” in “Team”, but there is an I in Intramural Sports… Intramural Sports teams are a perfect way for you to grow with the people around you and build a community! By playing sports, you learn more about the people you are playing with, whether it is co-workers, your own friends, or even strangers. While playing, you are not only learning more about them but growing your relationship with whomever you are playing with. During my freshman year of college, I played intramural basketball with my roommates, and without even realizing it, I began to learn so much about each of them!
3) Physical health
Intramural sports are a great way to keep you moving around and staying active. It allows you to get the exercise you need while having fun! When playing a sport, you move so much without even thinking about it. Sometimes I forget how hard I am working until sweat begins dripping down my face. It is actually a great feeling I’ll tell you! When it comes to staying active for my physical health, I would very much rather get my fitness through sports because of how much fun it is.
4) Mental health
Sports have helped me tremendously with mental health throughout the years. The older we get, the more we are exercising our brain, the more we can get burnt out. To help keep my mind sharp as I age, I practice critical thinking by playing sports! It challenges me to think quickly under certain situations. Staying involved in intramural activities can help boost your self-esteem while reducing stress and anxiety as well. So basically by playing sports, we improve our quality of life. Who doesn’t want to have fun while positively impacting your life?
5) Stress Reliever
As a senior with graduation coming up fast, I can say college can be really stressful. With so many assignments, quizzes, and exams, your schedule can get cluttered and life can get overwhelming. Getting involved in intramural sports has helped ease my stress significantly, by staying active so our endorphins stay high. It is key for our health to play, and help balance out the cons of being a college student.
6) Meet new people
During my freshman year of college, I have met so many friends through intramural basketball. If there was one thing for sure, I was happy my roommate talked me into playing intramural that semester. It’s crazy because some of these people were in my class the whole time. It helped me create relationships with them on and off the court. I would even go to the library with some of them before hitting the recreation center. I’m glad that I met these people as they were very influential to my college experience. So what are you waiting for? The intramural community is waiting for you!
7) Try something new
Isn’t it crazy to see Stephan Curry shoot those insanely deep 3-pointers? Doesn’t it make you want to give it a try? Intramural sports give people a great way to try something new. To get some experience under your belt, it’s perfect to start by playing intramural sports. This is a community that is filled with people just like you. So why not?
8) Work on Your Own Time
Intramural sports give students the flexibility to work with their schedules. I know it is hard to find the time to do things as a college student. With IMLeagues, it makes it easy to find the perfect dates and times to get started.
Intramural Sports Session 2 Registration is now open! Head to IMLeagues.com/uri to register with a team and get involved today! See you all on the field!
Works Cited
“Critical Thinking Skills In Sports.” Researchomatic.
Winterbottom, Tom. “Sports Talk Can Help Students Develop Critical Thinking Skills, Says Stanford Scholar.” Phys.org, Phys.org, 21 Oct. 2014.
“The Importance of Communication in Sports.” Arkansas State University Online, 17 Aug. 2018.
“Sportanddev.org.” The Health Benefits of Sport and Physical Activity.
Hey everyone! I’m Eddy, a senior majoring in Communications and minoring in Sports Media. I am so happy to be a part of the URI Campus Recreation team! Writing has been a passion of mine since I was little, and I look forward to not only growing as a writer but as a person too. My favorite activities include following the world of sports and playing sports. Whether it’s just reading articles on Bleacher Report or going out to the field, I am always doing something related to sports every second of the day! I played football and tennis in high school while running indoor track and field as well. Sports have always been a key role in my life as they made me who I am today. My favorite teams are the Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Timberwolves, and FC Porto. I am a very competitive person and will never back down from any challenge. Always ready to bring out the best of the team and myself!