Intramural
Sports is held on Mondays from 6:30-8:00 at Bosse High School. The SWAT
Members are currently playing soccer under the lights of Enlow Field.
Sports typically change every three weeks.
Benefits of Intramural Sports
In
a time when the United States is struggling with a widespread obesity
problem, physical activity couldn't be more important for the nation's
health. Intramural programs provide a great opportunity for those who
don't have the time or abilities to compete in competitive high school
athletics. Many people also feel more motivated to exercise when they're
playing in an organized program rather than following a personal
fitness regimen.
Another
clear benefit to playing intramural sports is the opportunity for
socialization. Whether you're a new freshman looking to meet people and
establish friendships, or you're a junior seeking to branch out of your
group of friends, intramural sports forces you to get to know your
teammates. Intramural organizations are also flexible and often don't
have strict schedules. This allows students to make time for studying
when final exams come around.
But
the rewards run even deeper than that. Some argue that playing
intramural sports can help reduce stress, which in turn could help a
student achieve academically. NIRSA is conducting studies to determine
whether there's a connection between physical activity and graduation
rates. But some research has already shown that physically active
children do better in reading and math [source: Byl].
High
School-age students are still building their identity, explains
Drabkin, which is another reason why the benefits of intramural sports
can go well beyond health and physical fitness. He says that students at
that stage feel like they need to be part of a group, which is
something intramural teams satisfy. Drabkin also points out that some
researchers say organizational activity prompts the release of the
hormone oxytocin (perhaps from supportive physical touch), which helps
team-bonding [source: Jacobs].
Additionally,
some argue that involvement in recreational sports helps students build
character, allowing them to develop self-control and positive
self-image [source: Human Kinetics]. But others believe that these
positive character-building benefits only apply in certain
circumstances. Specifically, they don't occur when students play the
sport with an ultra-competitive, win-at-all-costs attitude. In fact,
such mentality could promote aggression and violence [source: Byl]. So,
by that logic, intramural sports might be preferable to the more
competitive varsity sports.