Cherishing Our Classrooms
Written by Amber Manini
Intramural is a word stemming from the Latin word, intra muros meaning “within walls.” Most of us understand the term “intramural” when combined with a second term, sports. Intramural sports as we commonly know it is used to describe the sports activities that take place within the walls of one university. As opposed to intermural sports being those athletic events that take place between two different universities.
Elmer Mitchell, known as the father of intramural sports, started the first intramural sports programs in 1913 at the University of Michigan and Ohio State University. As word of the programs and the opportunities intramural programs offered students spread more universities learned to adapt the program in their own institutions. Today intramural sports hold tournaments that are organized by different areas and universities and are categorized at times by age, area or athletic ability.
UH Hiloʻs Fall 2012 5 vs. 5 tournament champions. Photo featured on the UH Hilo Intramural Sports Wall of Champions web page.
UH Hilo is just one of the many universities that take part in intramural sports in America. Offering to students various sports such as basketball, volleyball, flag football, indoor soccer, kickball, dodgeball, ultimate frisbee, and tug of war just to name a few. Intramural sports offers students will all athletic abilities the convenience of getting away from their studies and contributing to a team in an activity that they love to do. Helping to build a learning and recreational community on campus intramural sports helps to give students the opportunity to create friendships and network with other students within their same interests.
Another unique quality of intramural sports is the idea that the program is student run. Therefore the students who take part in running the official tournaments are students themselves. For students who have interests in the athletic field or Sorts management. Intramurals is the perfect opportunity to be employed while maintaining an internship opportunity on campus at UH Hilo. For these students, the gym has become their classroom.
Chelbie-Lyn Hanohano, the Intramural Coordinator for UH Hiloʻs Recreational Center, oversees the student run intramural program. Helping to oversee the program involves event planning, managing social media, creating waivers, flyers and organizing staff meetings. Hanohano has a staff of four student assistants to help run the evening intramurals at UH Hilo.
“Intramurals is another way for students to come together and build a community on campus. Students have the opportunity to socialize with each other outside of the classroom, if it's a freshmen seeking friendship or an upper classmen looking to branch out of his or her group of friends. Intramurals can also be of service to students with heavy class loads that need a break every once in a while,” said Hanohano.
UH Hiloʻs Fall 2013 flag football champions. Photo featured on UH Hilo Intramural Sports Wall of Champions web page.
Not only does intramurals allow students a break from their studies and gives them the opportunity to learn new sports and take part in a team building type of activity but, it also allows student staff members the hands on work experience that they can eventually use in the future work field.
Robin Rudolph, a UH Hilo junior, is one of Chelbie’s four student assistants. As a student he works with several of his colleagues and takes part in opening and closing the facilities during intramural sports. The weekly sports include volleyball and basketball held during the week days at the UH Hilo gym from 9 p.m. - 11 p.m., with tournaments for both sports featured on the weekends. Other sports offered include flag football, indoor soccer, ultimate frisbee, dodgeball and kickball.
When asked how his job has helped him to develop future career building skills, Rudolph replied stating that his job has taught him the following, “how to manage school work, sports, personal life and intramural work.” As an applied learning experience, Rudolph explains that teamwork is one of the skills learned as both a student participate in intramurals and a student assistant with the intramurals program.
“Show up have fun and play clean,” says Robin. Intramural sports or sports that are within the walls here at UH Hilo are another way for students to participate in learning outside of the classroom as both participants and staff members. Sports sometimes revered as a hallmark of America has been turned into a learning experience by founder Elmer Mitchell. Take advantage of the different classrooms you are given. Whether it be the gym, ocean, a boat, the agriculture farm, or any other place of learning cherish each opportunity.
For more information regarding UH Hilo’s Intramurals program. You may contact the Campus Recreation Department at (808) 932-7607, visit the Intramurals program on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CampusRecIntramurals, or visit the Intramurals webpage at http://hilo.hawaii.edu/rec/IntramuralSportsIndex.php
