Intramural sports provide a way to stay connected to beloved sports or discover new ones
By EMME DUNNING — features@theaggie.org
Sports are a fundamental part of many students’ high school experiences. They build a sense of community and lay the foundation for learning important teamwork skills. Despite these benefits, many students find it difficult to continue playing the sport they love once reaching college. Hard classes, busy schedules and work duties make a long-term commitment to sports unfeasible, forcing many to stop playing altogether.
Through the Campus Recreation department, UC Davis recreational sports provide students and staff with access to over 30 different sports including flag football, indoor and outdoor volleyball and even innertube water polo. Rec sports provide an opportunity for students to continue their favorite sports or try new ones, all in a low-commitment setting that aligns with the busy and variable schedules of college students.
For John Patrick Walker, a fourth-year environmental policy analysis and planning and Spanish double major, this flexibility has been crucial.
“The nice thing about rec sports is that you can show up five minutes before the game starts with your cleats and just hit the field and have some fun,” Walker said. “We’re busy, we’re students. We have school and work and whatnot, but to take that hour out of my day every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., to go play the sport that I wouldn’t normally find myself in, was and still is a valuable experience.”
Walker has participated in several rec sports in his time at UC Davis, including basketball, soccer, volleyball and softball. Through this involvement, he has made memories and connections that will last beyond his college years.
“I’ve played a lot of rec sports in my four years here,” Walker said. “What better way to boost my mental health, boost my physical health and make friends doing the thing I love?”
In addition to playing intramural sports, Walker continued his involvement by working as a referee for his peers’ games, something which he asserts has supported his desire to get more involved in rec sports while helping others explore the program.
“I applied to be a ref after participating in rec sports,” Walker said. “It brought me campus connections and brought me participation in my community beyond the sport. I got to help other people find that same value that I found in rec sports.”
For other students like Salina Kamburova, a fourth-year managerial economics major, rec sports has provided a way to reconnect with old favorites while maintaining a busy schedule with work and school.
“I’ve loved participating in a sport, especially because it’s with a group of friends I don’t see outside of volleyball, so it’s nice to catch up with them,” Kamburova said. “Playing has helped me stay connected to a sport I played for [over] seven years but don’t have the time or interest to pursue as a career.”
Kamburova also said that rec sports have given her a way to stay connected to friends throughout her four years of undergraduate education even with changing schedules and priorities.
“I’ve played intramural volleyball all four years at college,” Kamburova said. “I used to play volleyball with random groups of people at the [Activities and Recreation Center] (ARC) freshman year and found out they were making teams, so I initiated a team of my own. I’ve been playing with those same people since then.”
Paige Benson, a UC Davis alumna, also took advantage of what intramural sports had to offer during her time as an undergraduate student.
“I participated in intramural beach volleyball, inner-tube water polo and soccer,” Benson said. “I got involved because I heard about all the various options and wanted to find another fun way to spend time with friends.”
Benson also believes that rec sports provide access to activities that are sometimes unfeasible to coordinate outside of intramural sports.
“Participating in sports in college is such a unique experience and resource that should definitely be taken advantage of,” Benson said. “Having access to sports fields and equipment on campus is an amazing benefit of college. It’s also a great way to meet new people, reconnect with old sports interests or spark new ones.”
As the weather gets warmer, recreational sports will continue to offer a forum for students to stay active and connected. New leagues and tournaments are announced on a quarterly basis through the Campus Recreation page, where students can explore team options or sign up to compete.
Written by: Emme Dunning — features@theaggie.org
