On a late weekday evening, students can be seen running around on the turf fields at First and Stadium in Champaign. Whether it’s playing soccer, flag football or volleyball, these students have found a new community space on campus: Intramural Activities.

“I joined because I wanted to be active in the University system, get a little extra exercise and meet new people,” said Kenny Huffstetter, sophomore in Media. “Being in intramural sports has definitely improved my college experience.”

Meeting once a week, intramural sports run for about five weeks with a three-week regular season and two-week playoff season. Illinois’ Department of Campus Recreation facilitates games, provides facilities for each sport they offer and arranges officials to orchestrate the scheduled games.

“Intramurals are recreational sporting activities that provide opportunities for the Illinois community to participate in scheduled events at all levels. Leagues, events and tournaments are offered in a variety of sports,” according to Illinois’ Intramurals website. “Intramurals provide a space for the campus community to compete in a fun and safe environment.”

With the only requirement being a $30-50 participation fee, students get access to a variety of opportunities such as soccer, flag football, softball, volleyball, basketball, dodgeball and tennis, as well as a variety of special events such as cornhole or spikeball.

“I’ve gotten to expand my circle of friends through intramurals by mutual friends of friends joining, which has greatly impacted my time at UIUC for the better,” said Merrick Evans, senior in LAS.

Intramurals also yield a refreshing take on team sports, giving the satisfaction of competing athletically without the rigorous and demanding schedule which many athletes from high school may need a break from. This also opens the door for those who may have never played a sport to try it out in a low-stakes environment, where the only requirement is a desire and willingness to participate.

“I would definitely recommend people to join because it allows those who already know how to play the sport to be competitive without having to join a club team,” Huffstetter said. “It allows new players to pick up the game pretty easily.”

A 2017 article from Penn State University showed that exercise relieves stress, stimulates brain cells, releases endorphins, strengthens the immune system and increases one’s ability to concentrate, ultimately leading to higher grades. Managing time as a new student can be hard, but joining an intramural sport has the ability to break up the monotony of a school day, helping students deliver their best work.

“I think it is extremely easy to fit intramurals into my schedule,” Huffstetter said. “For each sport there are options to play any day of the week at different times of the day.”

However, along with most things, the uphill battle begins around finals.

“Truthfully doing intramurals can be a little difficult around finals time, but spending time with friends is always worth it,” Evans said.

While the first few weeks of classes might be overwhelming, trying out intramural sports might be the first step to new friendships, new hobbies and a better school experience.

“I highly recommend intramurals to anybody who’s got some extra time, an interest in sports and wants to make some friends along the way,” Evans said.

@JonathanAlday7