By Aidan Mastandrea
News Editor
While there are many dedicated student athletes at the College, a large contingency of the campus community either stopped or never pursued a sport at a high level. Intramural sports at the College creates an environment for students to compete for fun with their peers. The spring semester of IM sports is already underway and continues to evolve year by year.
In the beginning of the spring semester, intramural activities feature sports such as five-on-five basketball, indoor volleyball and billiards, while also including an Ultimate Fighting Championships “pick’Em” group.
According to Shawn Dean, associate director of student life, there are 351 unique participants within IM post-registration for the first batch of activities.
The five-on-five basketball league always draws heavy participation. This semester, there are 280 participants throughout two divisions. Teams with ultra competitive hopes get placed in the “A” league, while others join the “B” league. Teams battle it out weekly at the Recreation Center.
“The competitive spirit is balanced with a sense of camaraderie, making it a fun and lively
environment,” said Ryan O’Hara, a student intramural supervisor. “Whether you're playing or watching, the sense of community and school spirit is noticeable.”
The IM program at the College gives students like O’Hara a chance to work. Dean reports that there are eight student supervisors to go along with 18 student officials.
“All students, faculty and staff may participate in the Intramural Sports program,” the College’s student life website states.
This semester, the IM department will be adding one-night tournaments to their docket of activities. The first of these tournaments will be an indoor “arena football” tournament on Feb. 27 at the Rec Center.
“The atmosphere is friendly and competitive, with an emphasis on teamwork, sportsmanship and having a good time,” said O’hara. “It's a great way to meet new people, relieve stress and stay connected to the TCNJ community outside of the classroom.”
Students can keep an eye out as the semester progresses for a chance to register for more of IM’s offerings. As the weather gets nicer, students will be able to participate in outdoor soccer, softball, golf and pickleball. There will also be a March Madness bracket group as college basketball season gets in full swing.
