Reference:
Merkel, Nathan. (2022). Graduate Student Research Shows Benefits of Intramural Participation. [Digital Photograph of Chart]. Lindsey Moyer. Retrieved October 19, 2022 from https://muleskinnernews.com/45231/sports/graduate-student-research-shows-benefits-of-intramural-participation/.
Presentation Script
Preface:
I wanted to observe and learn more about the intramural basketball community at UNC. As a fan of basketball my whole life, the topic intrigued me. Intramurals are a big part of the collegiate experiences for students across the country. I observed six teams play to learn more. At The University of North Carolina, I aimed to find out how participating in intramural basketball contributes to the well-being of college students.
Background Research:
Research provided data that students across the country who participate in intramural sports have a stronger connection to their university. They are more likely to remain at the same school after their first year and develop stronger friendships (Sturts & Ross, 2013, p. 29). Intramural sports through Campus Recreation at UNC appears to be a very inclusive and positive environment to be a part of. The graph shows increased social and mental health benefits from students at UCM surveyed about their experience. Most students saw the important benefits of engaging in the activity.
Observational Data:
As I observed the six teams compete, players had smiling faces and were constantly laughing. The players on each team frequently communicated with each other. While it appeared each team wanted to win, that did not seem like the focus of participating. Players on each team seemed like they made lasting friendships and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. Cooper Land, a participant in intramural basketball at The University of North Carolina, stated that some of his best friends were made through the time spent with his teammates. He said the sport allows him to have structured time to spend with his friends each week.
Another positive reason for playing intramural basketball at The University of North Carolina is the structured exercise that the sport allows. College students have busy schedules making it difficult to block out time to work out. Intramural basketball gives a way for students to exercise while playing a sport they enjoy. This was apparent to me through watching the teams play. Although the result was not the main purpose, players competed with a high energy level. They ran up and down the court, no matter if they were up big, or losing by a lot. Cooper said getting to play once a week can help fill the gap from his last four years.
A positive benefit of intramural sports at UNC is that most college students are stressed and have many worries at one time. Homework, test, and social issues can be overwhelming, but playing intramural basketball gives students a healthy way to manage daily stresses. Observing the students made it seem like they had no issues on hand. At the games, the conversation seemed focused on funny events that took place in the game, or an interesting event that happened earlier. No players seemed stressed out about current issues and maintained positive facial expressions. Cooper stated how being on the court made his stresses disappear for an hour.
Conclusion:
There are many positives to playing intramural basketball at UNC. Students build community, have structured time to exercise, and a way to manage daily stress. Active participants in intramurals have increased mental and physical health benefits, a stronger connection to the university, and consistent friendships. The next steps may include sampling students at different universities on their experience. It is important to learn how students who engage benefit directly from their experience. It would be interesting to attempt to find out if certain sports or different universities lead to a better community than others.
Explication of Research
Preface:
Basketball has played a significant role in my life. I grew up watching, playing, and reading about basketball. It provided me with many positive memories. As a freshman in college, people have told me about their fantastic experiences playing intramural sports at their prospective universities. To learn more about participating in sports and college, I researched intramural basketball at the University of North Carolina. Participants in intramural basketball compete on teams of around eight players and play once a week at Woollen Gymnasium. I wanted to learn how participation in intramural basketball contributes to the well-being of college students at The University of North Carolina.
Background Information:
Intramural basketball at The University of North Carolina is every Monday and Tuesday in Woollen Gymnasium. Students are placed on teams of around eight players and have one game each week. Each session last for around two months. Games are monitored by students and take place in the evening. There are divisions for men, women, and both genders together. It is available to any student; however, registration is necessary.
Intramural sports are viewed as a fun way to stay active in college. However, research shows that there are many other benefits of participating in intramural sports. At The University of North Carolina, “campus recreation provides opportunities to engage in activities that support and enhance the mental and emotional wellbeing of participants” (Value of campus recreation, 2022, para. 7). Students who are involved in intramural sports have a stronger connection to their university. The benefits of participation include making friendships and building a sense of community. A study proved that the more college student gets involved with intramurals, their sense of community at their school will increase (Cooper, Nize, Phipps, Shores & Williams, 2015, p. 113). Building friendships help students feel more included in their university which increases mental well-being. Students are also more likely to remain at the same school after one year (Sturts & Ross, 2013, p. 29).
Engaging in intramurals is linked to increased academic success. A previous study showed how students benefit: “the application of this theory to recreational sport programming suggests that high-quality programs and multiple student participation rates lead to increased learning and student development” (Sturts & Ross, 2013, p. 28). An experiment stated that there is a higher average grade point for students who participate. Although the results are not directly correlated, the research provided data that students who participate have increased academic achievement.
Exercise is extremely important for everyone. Intramural basketball provides students with a fixed time to exercise at least once a week. The goal is to help develop lifelong people dedicated to fitness and active habits for participants (Value of campus recreation, 2022, para. 6). College students rely on it to maintain active. Intramural sports give students a reason to stay healthy (Ward 2015). This is important for managing the daily stress of students.
Observational Data and Analysis:
My first observation took place on Tuesday, September 27, 2022, from 6:15 pm until 8 pm. I stationed myself in between the three courts at Woollen gymnasium. The first thing that stood out to me was the differences between each court. One court was only males, one was females, and the other was a combination of both. There was also a lot of diversity between the players. Participants had different skin colors, sizes, and levels of experience. Intramural Basketball at The University of North Carolina appeared to be highly inclusive and open to anyone.
While watching the teams compete, I noticed the joy players had while participating. No matter the score, it seemed like everyone had a smile on their face and was laughing with a teammate. The bond between the teams looked to be strong, and no player appeared to be left out. During breaks in the game, players huddled together and talked together as a unified group. It looked to be an environment that promoted friendship, togetherness, and community with one. No player seemed overly worried about the game but more excited to be spending time together with their friends. I watched jealously the way the teams acted towards each other.
College is a busy time for all students. It was obvious to me that students used intramural basketball to get a fixed time to exercise. Teams competed with a high energy level no matter if they were winning or losing. Players ran hard up and down the court throughout each game. Even with the high energy, winning didn’t seem like the main priority. It appeared to be a less strict environment than high school or other college sports. The main focus appeared to be exercise and having fun. No one seemed stressed or worried about anything else. I thought it looked like a great way to have fun while working out. However, I wondered if more competitive players would find the environment exciting.
My second observation consisted of interviewing Cooper Land, a freshman student at UNC. I interviewed him in my dorm room on Tuesday, October 4th. He was a serious basketball player in high school. I first asked him if participating in intramural basketball helped increase his sense of community at UNC. He excitedly answered that some of his best friends in college were made on the team. He stated they formed a bond over the sport which has allowed them to build a relationship outside of it. He says the friendship aspect is the best part of being on the team. As a fellow freshman, I wish I had joined a team to connect with more people early in the school year.
I also wondered if he enjoyed campus recreation because of the exercise. Cooper said coming from fixed practice in high school, it has been a difficult transition into the freedom of college. He stated having a fixed time to exercise for him is important. Intramural basketball gives him a way to stay active. Cooper says it also helps alleviate the pressure of being a student. He also said on the night of basketball he finds himself to be more productive. He gets his schoolwork done productively. He believes participating increases his academic performance. Cooper also stated how participating is good for his mental health. He gets to enjoy an activity with his friends. I was inspired to hear this. Although intramural sports may appear unimportant, the external benefits appear to be massive. It made me excited to possibly play in the future.
Conclusion:
Through research and observation, I concluded that participation in intramural basketball at The University of North Carolina has a positive effect on the well-being of college students. It is an inclusive environment in that anyone can participate. Students who are involved gain important relationships with their peers. Participants value the fixed time to exercise each week. I was surprised by all these benefits that people have found. Initially, I thought playing intramural basketball would just be a fun thing to engage in. After research, I learned it was so much more. Although I only focused on basketball, I would like to know if some intramural sports are better for the well-being of students than others. It would also be interesting to learn if certain schools provide a better environment for their students than others. I would have enjoyed visiting different schools and sporting events to see if the atmosphere was similar. Overall, participating in intramural basketball at UNC appears to be a positive experience, and something I hope to enjoy in the future.
References:
Cooper N, Mize N, Phipps C, Shores K, Williams R. (2015). Examining the relationship
between intramural sports participation and a sense of community among college students. Recreational Sports Journal, 39(2), 105-120. https://doi.org/10.1123/rsj.2015-0041.
Sturts J. R & Ross C. M. (2013). Collegiate Intramural Sports Participation: Identified Social
Outcomes. International Journal of Sport Management, Recreation & Tourism, 11, 25-41. http://dx.doi.org/10.5199/ijsmart-1791-874X-11b.
Value of campus recreation. (2022). Campus recreation.
https://campusrec.unc.edu/about-us/value-of-campus-rec/.
Ward. T. P. (2015). The Effects of Intramural Sports on College Students. Honors Projects,
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