Intramurals: Stress to Destress

by The Cowl Editor on October 25, 2018


Campus


Photo of intramural champion t-shirts.
If you win an intramural sport at PC, then you get a free intramural champion T-shirt. Photo courtesy of Providence College.

by Katherine Belbusti ’22

Opinion Staff

Fall is upon us, and for sports fans, that means one thing: fall sports are in action as well. College football is in full swing, the World Series is starting, and the NBA season has just begun.

But for students here at Providence College, not only are we cheering on the hockey and basketball teams, but we are also  participating in intramural sports.

Intramurals are a great way for students to get involved in sports that they want to try. Not to mention, playing a sport is a great way to take a break from the stressful workload.

Coming to PC, I knew I wanted to join intramural teams with my friends as a way to not only meet new people, but to stay active in a fun way.

For most students, the general appeal of intramurals comes from the thought of trying something new.

Wallyball and handball are examples of intramural sports that are offered at PC that are typically not offered as varsity sports in other schools. After the initial appeal comes the benefit of stress relief, which is another big reason for why so many students participate. 

Between schoolwork, club meetings, and spending time with friends, it can get difficult to balance commitments without the proper outlet. Intramural sports provide that stress-relieving resource for many students.

Patrick Downey ’22 can almost always be found in Peterson or on one of PC’s many sports fields.

When asked what it is like to be a part of a flag football, wallyball, and handball intramural team, he responded, “It’s a lot, I can’t lie. I like being a part of intramural teams because it’s fun to keep active and it helps me to break up my day. At times it can actually be stressful when I have different intramural games back to back, but more than causing stress, playing intramural sports helps me relieve stress.”

If intramurals help to relieve stress purely because of the fact that you are staying active, what distinguishes joining a team from going to the fitness center?

For so many students the difference is in the ability to be a part of a team, to participate competitively, and to have fun while playing—even when you lose.

The greatest thing about intramural sports is that you and your teammates will get very invested in the games and want all the best success for your team. However, in the end, the actual outcome of the game matters very little.

I remember coming to PC for the first time and taking my official tour. One of the things I always remembered was when my tour guide mentioned the intramural champion T-shirts. Perhaps in the end, that is what is really driving the participation in intramurals—the quest for the coveted champion T-shirt.