Take a Look at CMU’s Intramural Sports Program

Story by Zackary Boyer
Photo by Anne Langan

Central Michigan University is home to one of the largest University Recreation departments in the Midwest, according to Scott George, Competitive Sports Assistant Director for University Recreation. This includes everything to do at the Student Activities Center, club sports and intramural sports.

Though many people on campus know what the Student Activities Center is and know that we have club sports team, such as baseball, softball and rugby to name a few, some students might not realize the number of intramural sports offered here.

In short, intramurals are a way for students to get out, be active and play many different sports. These sports can be anything from slow pitch softball, flag football and basketball to activities like battleship, NCAA March Madness pick’ems and corn hole.

Delving into the Sports
Most people know what flag football and other common sports are, but battleship? Well, battleship is not the board game – it’s something very different. 

“Battleship is where you have three to four teams of four people in a canoe and what you and your teammates try to do is sink the other team’s ships,” sophomore Brendan Olmstead said.

“It is a very fun sport and [I] would have never thought it would be offered as an intramural sport.”

Battleship is just one of many off-the-wall sports that is offered at Central Michigan University.

Many students have similar reasons for liking intramural sports – the ability to come out and have fun while being competitive at the same time. 

“It’s always exciting and fun. You and your friends get to come out and play sports with other people who are out here to have fun and be competitive,” freshman Jose Tapia said.

Sometimes some players can be a little competitive, but it’s all in good fun.

“These sports also give players a life after high school sports,” Tapia said. “If you were like me and played sports in high school it is hard to transition from playing and practicing every day to doing absolutely nothing.”

Dan LaPalm is currently a senior and an intramural supervisor here at Central Michigan and explains his love for the intramurals in a similar way to Tapia.

“I love the fact that players are allowed to come and play competitive sports in a very fun and relaxed environment,” LaPalm said. “What we do here is allow students to escape from the everyday stress of school and come out and enjoy themselves for at least an hour a week.”

LaPalm also praises everyone involved in running a smooth operation for intramural sports.

“It starts with our boss Scott George and trickles down to everyone below him. This includes us as supervisors all the way down to our officials.”