Winter may have brought bitter winds and piled the hiking trails with snow, but Houghton students are finding other ways to stay active during the colder months. Some of the most popular on-campus options are intramural sports leagues, most of which are currently underway for the spring season.
Houghton students can choose from a wide variety of intramural sports and activities, both indoors and outdoors. The fall semester typically offers men’s and women’s indoor soccer and volleyball, flag football, and co-ed kickball. During the spring, students can participate in a different slate of activities: volleyball, slow pitch softball, and inner tube water polo(all co-ed) as well as men’s and women’s basketball and outdoor soccer.
Intramural sports are a long-standing Houghton tradition which, according to men’s head soccer coach Matthew Webb, is only growing stronger. Volleyball is usually the most popular intramural, though newer offerings like kickball and water polo have also drawn a large number of participants. On the whole, involvement in intramural sports has seen a steady increase over the past few years, with the number of students involved growing from 824 in 2011 to 1,105 last year.
A variety of other activities, such as skiing, rock climbing, and Zumba, while not officially considered intramural sports, are still available to students through the year. Other non-league intramural events have proven popular through the years, from the 3v3 basketball tournament and whiffle ball tournaments to castleball and the ever-popular Soup Run.
Many of these events help to bring Houghton students together with other members of the Houghton community. It can sometimes be difficult to make meaningful connections outside the college, and students shared that intramural events have provided a fun way for them to cultivate friendships with community members. It’s also a great way to build camaraderie with other Houghton students. “Interacting with members of different teams is another aspect of participating in intramural that is also quite fun,” said Aichia Kuwong ‘16, who has participated in intramural soccer, basketball, and kickball.
With students’ busy schedules intramural sports can sometimes seem like a hefty time commitment, especially those that meet late on weekday evenings. Students shared that it can be difficult to make time for more demanding intramurals, especially when also juggling other commitments like evening classes, extracurricular events, and homework.
According to the National Intramural Sports Association, intramural sports provide an effective way for students to cultivate healthy exercise habits along with lifetime leadership skills such as “the ability to think strategically and a penchant to act collaboratively.” Webb agreed, pointing out that “staying active allows for better overalls health,” while being part of a team “allows for a competitive environment and shared experiences amongst friends.”
Intramural sports provide an accessible way to enjoy physical activity without the pressure of competition. Kuwong was quick to praise the program’s unique atmosphere, “It is always fun getting the chance to play sports that I like in a less competitive setting.”
Many athletes appreciate the welcome contrast that intramurals provide to the more competitive environment of intercollegiate sports. “Our varsity sports teams expect us to train consistently in the off-season for the sake of ourselves and the team. Intramurals are for literally anybody to take a swing at and be active a couple nights a week,” shared Justine Phillips ‘18, a member of the Houghton softball team who has also participated in intramural soccer. “The two experiences are 110% different.”
Based on the current success of intramurals at Houghton, the Athletics Department looks forward to growing the program in the future. Webb believes that intramural sports will continue to thrive in years to come. “There is a lot of history and tradition in intramurals,” he said. “It is a great way to get connected, stay connected, and maintain relationships. And it provides for a great study break.”