What in the World Are Intramural Sports?

Most of us fall in love with sports during our childhood and then we gradually outgrow them. We trade our soccer balls for mortgages, our baseballs for calculators, and our cricket bats for back pain. But, obviously, some severe issues arise when it comes to not getting out there and exercising.

In 2020 a study from The University of Southern Queensland was published stating: “Self-reported data indicated that university students spend 7.29 hours per day being sedentary”. This is quite a conundrum as more and more University students are expected to sit on a computer all day taking online classes, wasting our prime years. 

But alas there is light in the darkness, intramural sports. With everything from conventional basketball, to unconventional and exceptional inner-tube basketball there’s something for everyone. Taking part in a sport is not only a great way to get exercise, it's also a great social experience. Lakehead's website states:

“All intramural sports are designed so that each student can have fun in a safe recreational setting, regardless of their skill level or experience!”

This means that if you’re an experienced ankle breaker you can take your dual left-footed friend onto the court and have a good old-fashioned game of Canada's favourite sport, basketball. But maybe basketball isn’t your thing, fair enough. From Sunday to Thursday every week there is a different sport every night, providing something for everyone!

A student participating in women/non-binary basketball this semester remarked: “The women/non-binary basketball games carry a really positive atmosphere. It is a great way to get in some cardio while having fun and improving at a sport”. The feelings of a positive atmosphere and great exercise are the most common among students who have experienced intramural sports. 

With the winter months dragging on, we all need a reason to get out of the house for a reason other than Outpost visits. So, at the end of this article, all you need to do is decide which intramural sport is for you, not if you should participate, but what sport speaks to you, as once again, this is a great experience for everyone. 

More information about intramural sports can be found here: http://thunderwolves.ca/campus-rec/intramurals/