Why You Should Join an Intramural Sport

If there’s one activity I would recommend joining during university, I would 100% recommend playing intramural sports. I’ve been involved with U of T Intramurals every semester (when it was running) since 2019, and I can say it has been one of the highlights of my past four years. Without further ado, here are four reasons why you should get involved in intramurals.

1. All skill levels are welcome

Whether you’re an avid athlete or have never kicked a soccer ball, there are multiple divisions and a variety of sports available to help fit your needs. I joined an ultimate frisbee Div 3 team to try out a new sport, and despite only knowing frisbee as a backyard activity, I learned that it can be an intense, sweaty sport that gets you running. It’s like football but with a frisbee! On the other hand, I’ve played soccer for as long as I can remember, so I played on the Tri-Campus League soccer team, captained the Vic Womens Soccer Team, and played on the Vic Mixed Soccer Team. From badminton to dodgeball, flag football, volleyball and more, there’s a sport for you.

2. The welcoming community

I believe the best way to meet people and, more importantly, stay in touch with them, is to place yourself in situations where you’ll routinely see them. This could be in class, residence, a café, a club, and in this case, your weekly intramural games. I loved how supportive my teams were — we’re each other’s biggest fans, and when someone falls down, they were there to pick them back up. Seeing my teammates once a week was an instant mood-booster, especially in the midst of midterms.

3. Boost mental & physical health

Speaking of mood-boosting, playing sports is a great way to get active and take a break from academics. On the field, I forget about that paper due next week, or what work needs to get done. Personally, I’d rather play soccer than go to the gym because it feels more like a game, I can socialize, and I'm not actively thinking about running vs. intentionally going on a run.

4. Skill-building

Lastly, it may sound like a stretch, but I attribute a lot of my professional skills to intramurals and sports. Beyond developing my ultimate frisbee skills, playing team sports helped build my teamwork as we learned to work to each other’s strengths and depend on each other. Then, captaining soccer helped boost my confidence and leadership skills as I provided guidance to beginner athletes and learned to manage and coordinate large groups. These skills are certainly useful when leading student groups, and will come in handy for my future teaching career.

Sign-up for intramurals have just closed, so if you've signed up through your College/Faculty, keep an eye out for further communication from your captain(s). The Fall season sports begin late September/early October!

– Jess