By John Byl (Professor of Physical Education at Redeemer University College, president of CIRA Ontario, and author of several books including Intramural Recreation: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating an Effective Program (available through CAHPERD).

When I began to think of intramural programs for elementary and high schools I thought of something else I once wrote, “I loved going to school and coming home. I loved recess and lunch. It was the in-between part that got to me” (Byl, 2002). I was always one of the first ones at school so I could be the first one up at baseball. Before and after recess and lunch, I and other classmates would continually think about the neat activities we did during those breaks. I loved the activities and times with classmates. These memories played a significant role in how I got involved with developing great intramural activities for kids.

The Benefits are Beyond Personal

Research supports the joy and benefits that I experienced personally through physical activity in intramurals. The major delight for me was to have FUN. But, as research shows, good programs also develop physical fitness, enhance positive competition, develop positive character, and give opportunity for leadership building. Fun physical activity decreases anxiety and depression and enhances participant feelings of well-being (Cai 2000, Balady 2000). Research also shows that those involved in physical activity tend to come to class ready to learn, have improved concentration, and have improved overall academic performance (Alsager 1977, Balady 2000, Reich and Zantra 1981, Kleiber and Kirshnit 1991). Thus, offering wild and wacky games with great organization can enhance students’ experience of fun, while also providing a variety of physical, social, and emotional benefits.

Healthy Competition

Often today, competition is considered a dirty word. However, developing healthy, safe, and funcompetition for all can strengthen a program. Sometimes taking the edge off a too competitive basketball game can be as simple as replacing the ball with a rubber chicken. Research shows that good character can be developed through programs that de-emphasize winning and provide positive leadership about fair play (we’ll talk more on fair play later).

Students can be Awesome Leaders

Leadership opportunities abound in intramural programs and are fabulous opportunities to enhance these skills (Coleman and Iso-Ahola 1993, Fabian 1982). Intramural programs provide great opportunities for our students to be creative, and to become directly involved in developing activities that they want to enjoy. Instead of developing lists or rules for recess behaviour, let the students get involved in developing fun games for students that they want to play.

How to Organize and Run an Effective Intramural Program

What’s the mission?

First and foremost, organizers should have a good sense of what they want the intramural program to be. Not many of us hop in our cars and just drive. Most of us have a destination. What is the destination or mission of your program? Is it to have fun, to encourage active participation by as many as possible, or will it serve as a feeder system for your school’s athletic program? Clearly the kind of intramural program developed from different mission statements will be very different. My philosophy is partially directed by a leading intramuralist, Pat Doyle, who says, “It’s kids first, all the kids.” Put a little time into deciding where you want to go. Brainstorm about the underlying theme. From that, develop a brief statement that is realistic and builds excitement. Use that mission statement in your promotional materials, schedules, meetings, or wherever intramurals are discussed in order to help the entire program stay on track.

Ensure a welcoming environment

In my personal school experiences, it was the students that organized intramural-type activities. We were our own leaders, and most of the activities that we developed were pretty neat. This helped us tremendously in developing great leadership skills. However, looking back, there are some aspects that we could have done better. For one, our methods of picking teams were not always methods that promoted a welcoming environment for all students, in fact in some cases they were pretty demeaning. Better planning, empathy, and guidance from a caring and informed teacher may have helped us to make the program that much more positive and inclusive for all students.

Creative use of facilities and equipment

Make the best of what your school has to offer. If your gym and outdoor field space are minimal, consider how you can use alternative spaces such as large classrooms, hallways, or parking lots. (For great asphalt games, look at Pat Doyle’s book Active Playgrounds - available through CAHPERD). In addition, determine ways that you can make occasional use of community facilities such as pools or bowling alleys, and be creative with how you play the game. In the case of bowling, try ten different frames of throwing the ball (right hand, left hand, between the legs forward, between the legs backward, and so on).

Most schools have physical education equipment that can be accessed for intramural programs. You may also consider creating a recess bag of equipment for each classroom that is comprised of traditional and/or creative equipment. The inside bladder of an old soccer ball or volleyball provides an erratic and safe ball to kick or hit in intramural games, and is a great equalizer. (Coming Soon - CAHPERD’s Out of the Box is a fabulous resource that provides an array of activities using innovative equipment that can be found at the local dollar store, such as scrub- brushes, plastic place mats, and much more. Visit www.cahperd.ca for ordering information.)

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Consider various scheduling and team formations

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Schedule intramurals at a time that will facilitate participation by as many students as possible. You may need to be flexible to the varying needs of the different grades. For instance, some K-5 schools divide the noon hour gym use for K-3 on Monday and Wednesday, grades 4-5 on Tuesday and Thursday, and special events on Fridays.