If you are into playing sports competitively or casually but do not have the time or skills to play for the varsity team, Rowan University Intramural Sports are a great place for you to continue to play. 

It is easy to sign up, and even if you do not have enough people to form a team, you will be placed on a team with others in the same situation. 

In 2022-2023, there are 14 different intramural sports seasons or events to play. There were seven in the fall, and seven more to storm in during the spring semester.

Intramural sports are a great way to stay active and be a part of a group at Rowan. Most events take place later in the night when classes are done.

“It’s a fun time and the games are late at night so you don’t really have anything to do at the time,” Jack McGowan, a freshman finance major and a player on one of Rowan’s flag football teams, said.

I learned about intramural sports when I was younger through my father, who played intramural basketball, football, hockey, softball and golf at Hamilton University. I always thought it was so cool that he and his friends from his intramural team have stayed together all these years and are still extremely close to this day.

I knew from a young age playing sports at the highest level is a lot of work and is not attainable most of the time. Thankfully, I can play for the love of the game and to have fun on intramural teams here at Rowan.

I knew it would be a lot of fun to be playing again, but I didn’t know that I would look forward to my one game a week and seeing my friends every Tuesday as much as I do. 

Richard Boyle, a Rowan alumnus who participated in intramural football and basketball, noted that these low-stakes games gave him something to look forward to every week as well.

I wanted to get right into the intramural scene as soon as I started attending Rowan University. At first, I didn’t know anyone here besides my lifelong friend Tucker Gabrich, a sophomore exercise science major, who wanted to play flag football in the fall. We joined a random team and met some very nice people that we had a lot of fun playing with all season. 

Playing on a team full of people that didn’t know each other last year was a great experience. Being able to make new friends and build team chemistry with people that have similar interests as myself allowed me to begin enjoying my college experience — I even made friends with my opponents. 

That’s my favorite thing about intramural sports; there is no pressure from opposing teams. At the end of the day, we are just there to have fun and play the sports we enjoy.

This fall, my team from last year was disassembled, so Tucker and I joined a team we became friends with last fall. 

It is even better this year because the whole team is determined to win the championship and there is great team spirit. I see my teammates very often off the field, and I thoroughly enjoy spending time with them, as well as playing football with them. 

“I would recommend it because I feel like that’s how you and your friends can really bond. Who knows your opponents might also be people you can become friends with,” Lloyd Wilson, a 2022 alum, said.

Winter is coming and with it comes several new intramural sports seasons to register for. This includes a holiday basketball tournament; one bracket for mixed-gender play, and one open league. The deadline to sign up for the tournament is Nov. 30 and the tournament itself takes place from Dec. 5 to Dec. 8.

Registration for Spring Intramural Sports opens soon, on Dec. 4. Indoor Cricket, basketball, indoor mid-day pool basketball, floor hockey, soccer, slow pitch softball, and Sunday flag football are the available intramural seasons in the spring. Registration for all of them opens on Dec. 4.

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