2008 Woodie Awards
Students Stay Active Through UCM Intramural Sports
Anne Carlson: Muleskinner
Issue date: 2/7/08 Section: Features
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Jason Cannon, assistant director of campus activities for intramural and club sports said UCM offers 45 intramurals for students.
"That is as many as schools like the University of Nebraska offer, and more than Mizzou offers," Cannon said.
Most popular are the five team sports - basketball, flag football, volleyball, softball and soccer. There are many individual sports offered as well.
Intramurals also inlcude some unusual sports. There is a H-O-R-S-E basketball tournament, a three point shoot-out contest, sports trivia tournaments and a football-bowl guessing contest.
Not only does UCM compare with bigger schools in the number of intramural sports offered, participating is also much more affordable. It cost only $30 per person each season at UCM, while Nebraska and the University of Missouri-Columbia charge $45 to play in a Greek or residence hall divisions, and $100 to play in an elite division.
UCM has more than 8,200 students who participate in various intramural sports, but that number counts students who play on multiple teams. If a student plays on two teams, they are counted as two people.
"I personally feel we have so many students who participate because a lot of our students come from small towns and played sports in high school. Now that they are in college, they want to keep that going," Cannon said.
"Another thing that adds to our number is that our coaches let our college athletes participate. A lot of college coaches won't let their athletes do that."
Cannon said men's basketball coach Kim Anderson lets the men play softball, and the football players are allowed to play basketball.
"I think it's good that the athletes play intramurals, too," said Rob Felder, supervisor of intramurals. "It makes the students feel not so distant from the athletes."
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