UW-Madion’s basketball team celebrates a point. Jake Piper/The Daily Cardinal
T.J. Minsky
Starting college can be overwhelming — new classes, new people and a new environment that feels massive at first. For many students at UW-Madison, intramural sports offer a simple way to find a sense of routine and connection. That was the case for sophomore student Max Welford, who signed up for an indoor futsal league shortly after transferring to Wisconsin.
“I joined because I wanted to connect with other soccer players and just keep playing the game I love,” Max said. “I played every day before coming to college so it was something I was familiar with. I also wanted to stay in shape.”
Max’s story isn’t anything out of the ordinary but that is exactly why it is important. Thousands of students at UW-Madison sign up for intramural sports each year. Most students aren’t looking to be super competitive (although that is still important) but they are looking for a connection to their peers and community around them – something consistent in the midst of chaos.
And for Max, it worked. “I’ve made a bunch of new friends,” he said. “Some of them ended up being in my classes too, which made walking into the classroom on the first day way better.”
That kind of everyday impact is the whole point of intramural programs across college campuses. According to the 2020-21 RecWell Annual Report, over 8,000 students participated in intramural sports at UW – even during the pandemic year. The program is built for accessibility, with leagues for everything from dodgeball to volleyball and spikeball. What is special about intramurals is that it doesn’t matter how competitive you are. There are casual leagues, competitive leagues and even co-rec leagues. As the RecWell site also says, it’s more about playing than winning in the end.
Max said the games quickly became one of the many things he looked forward to most each week. “It’s a good break from school. Sometimes looking forward to these games gets me through a long week.”
That mental break is a big reason why intramurals are so important on college campuses. A 2022 article from Adrian College World believes that intramural sports helps reduce stress, improve mood and keeps students motivated in the classroom. They’re not only good for physical wellbeing but also mental.
A study from Grand Valley State University also backs this claim up, showing that intramurals help students feel more confident and have a stronger sense of belonging on campus. As a transfer student myself, intramural sports have definitely helped me meet more people.
“It’s super helpful and one of the most accessible ways to be involved at college, in my opinion,” Max said. He later stated if anyone was unsure about joining they should just do it anyway. At a place as big as UW-Madison, making small connections really matters. And sometimes all it takes is signing up to be on a random team for a Wednesday night soccer league.