Intramural sports are found at most universities nationwide, and Weber State University is no exception. There are many opportunities to participate in intramural sports and recreational activities at Weber State University. For a fee of $15 for students and $35 for community members, WSU offers a variety of intramural sports opportunities.
This fall semester, WSU Intramurals include 7v7 Indoor Soccer and 6v6 Indoor Volleyball. Indoor Soccer registration ended on Sept. 4, and play started on Sept. 11. Indoor Volleyball will run from Oct. 27 to Dec. 6, with registration open from Oct. 13 to 23.
WSU’s Intramural sports program also offers special events, most recently Sitting Volleyball on Sept. 7. Special events coming up during fall semester include Crate Stacking on Sept. 24 and 26, a Mario Kart Tournament on Sept. 28, Halloween Disc Golf Scramble on Oct. 19 and College Football Pick’ems all semester.
“I like being involved at Weber State and getting the opportunity to meet new people,” junior Madelyn Federico said.
The unique thing about intramural sports is that although they are semi-competitive, there are no expectations of skill when you join in. Intramural sports highly encourage inclusivity and diversity. People from various backgrounds are put together to break down social barriers and emphasize participation and cooperation.
“I like being involved in things at Weber State and supporting things that the school does,” Federico said.
Intramural sports were first introduced to colleges in 1913 at Ohio State University and the University of Michigan.
Elmer Mitchell, a graduate student at the University of Michigan, was the first person to introduce intramural sports to a college setting. He introduced intramural sports to create a fun and healthy environment for students and faculty to compete against one another.
Intramural sports expanded throughout the 20th century as physical education became more relevant. During this time, recreational departments became more prominent on college campuses.
As the popularity of recreational sports grew, more traditional leagues were being constructed. Competitions between different teams within the university would be held in popular sports like basketball and soccer.
Later in the 20th century, intramural sports became more about inclusion as more diverse populations began attending university. The focus at this point was heavily on finding ways to increase student engagement.
In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, recreational departments searched for innovative ways to expand intramural sports. This was when they decided to include non-traditional sports, such as ultimate frisbee and, most recently, esports.
