Published March 17, 2009
Written By Grace Chen
Whether you are new to campus or simply looking to broaden your social network, your community college’s sports teams are an excellent way to meet friends and get healthy.
Nearly all community colleges offer students team sports and casual athletic venues to have fun and interact with fellow students. Regardless of your athleticism, all community college students can equally enjoy leisurely athletic opportunities by joining social teams at local community colleges.
How to Participate in Community College Sports Teams, Clubs, and Groups
While students who have earned athletic scholarships certainly possess a unique set of skills and physical talents, the general student population attending community college generally seeks out sports as a way to relax, meet new friends, and have fun.
Most commonly, community colleges provide students with club or intramural sports. “Intramural” teams are common offerings at community colleges that provide students with more casual and leisurely interactions. As “intramural” is derived from the Latin word for “wall” (muris), intramural sports generally allow any interested participants to engage in the “mural” or variety of school offerings.
To find out about these social and casual opportunities at local community colleges, students can simply seek out information from their Student Services / Student Activities Centers. If these specialized offices or services are not available, a student can always meet with their campus advisor to find out more details about potential opportunities. Oftentimes, community colleges have full time professionals monitoring, organizing, and advertising for these groups and clubs, as intramural and leisurely teams and events help boost the campus’ overall appeal and attitude. As a result, most schools strive to provide students with a diverse offering of events.
Sports Clubs Around the Country's Community College Campuses
Salt Lake Community College
Students attending Salt Lake Community College (SLCC), located in Salt Lake City, Utah, can engage in an array of sports activities for leisure and social networking. While SLCC, like most community colleges, have always offered intramural sports, the school decided to use sports funding to open up new opportunities. Therefore, in 2001, the SLCC Student Senate shifted the funding for intramural teams towards new and more diverse athletic opportunities.
For example, instead of intramural sports, SLCC offers club sports teams in the venues of soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, racquetball, and even rodeo! Adding to these opportunities, SLCC students can also engage in extramural golf and tennis by taking advantage of the school’s open recreation times at the campus’ two fitness centers. In fact, if students even want to just go work out, without a team, they can access any of the fitness centers with their student ID. At the centers, individuals can enhance their physiques with weights, improve their swimming abilities in the pool, or utilize the other fitness machines and equipment.
Valencia Community College
At Valencia Community College (VCC), located in Orlando, Florida, students can also take advantage of leisure sports venues. As the school leaders explain, VCC’s intramural sports allows every student to participate in recreational activities by simply volunteering to join a campus’ group or event. Funded by VCC’s Student Development department, students are provided with intramural activities at two different campuses, and all students are only required to pay a small fee to participate. As the school leaders assert, “By getting involved in Intramural Sports, you will develop an appreciation of the worthy use of leisure time and a wholesome attitude toward physical activity …Whether you are an occasional participant, or an active daily competitor, Intramural Sports has something for everyone.”
Offering diverse opportunities for all types of interests, students can engage in events such as bowling, canoeing, dodge ball, flag football, racquetball, soccer, skating, and even rock-climbing! In addition to other sports teams, students who are less athletically inclined can even join the Trivial Pursuit team. With a variety of events, tournaments, and competitions, all students can learn new techniques and skills by joining one of the many VCC groups.
Southeast Community College
Southeast Community College (SCC), with various campus locations throughout Nebraska, similarly provides students with active and engaging intramural opportunities. With SCC staff that is solely dedicated to Student Services Coordination, all students attending SCC are permitted to engage in various events and teams. Through several locations, students can choose from unique team events at each SCC campus. For example, popular intramural events offered at SCC include softball, flag football, sand volleyball, indoor volleyball, team and three on three basketball, wrestling, golf, and baseball. Also, straying from the more conventional sports, SCC even provides students with events for poker tournaments, billiards, and ping pong!
Whatever your interests, your local community college is sure to have an intramural sports team that can help you get in shape – and have fun!
Resources:
Salt Lake Community College, available at http://www.slcc.edu/recreation/ClubSports.asp
Southeast Community College, available at http://www.southeast.edu/studentlife/sl_intramural.asp
Valencia Community College, available at http://www.valenciacc.edu/studentdev/intramural.asp
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