The Real Value In Playing Intramural Sports – You Will Be Surprised

Some people play intramural sports because they love competition. When you compete and win, it boosts your confidence. When you compete and lose, you learn and build character. Therefore, you win either way. As long as you get out there and play, you are winning.

The Truth About Winning

If you want to know what winning and losing is all about, it’s highly recommended that you read Theodore Roosevelt’s “The Man In The Arena.” To paraphrase, the credit doesn’t belong to the winning party, the person who quits, or the critics watching. The credit belongs to the one who continuously gets knocked down but keeps fighting, even when bloodied and dirty.

You might be someone who thinks: I can’t play sports. I’m not good enough. That is complete nonsense, and it’s not what sports are about. Sports don’t build character; they reveal it. Therefore, if you try your best, never complain, and know your place, your teammates are going to love you. If you’re lesser skilled, they are going to cheer and root for you with everything they’ve got when you’re in the game.

It’s also possible that you’re a decent athlete but you’re not sure if you will measure up. How would you know if you didn’t play? Did you know that Micheal Jordan was cut from his basketball team as a sophomore in high school? Did you know that Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” If you sit in fear due to what might be, you will never know what might be.

If you’re not buying into this concept for some reason, playing intramural sports has other benefits. Let’s take a look.

Leadership

If you want to be a store manager, CEO, coach, or anything else where you’re in charge, then you’re going to need leadership skills. There is no better place to learn leadership skills than intramural sports because there is limited consequence.

Notice that didn’t say ‘no consequence.’ That’s because a great leader is both loved and respected at the same time. This is difficult to accomplish for many people. Most people are either too stern or too soft. Both of these types of leaders act the way they do for the same reason, which is fear of losing their leadership role.

The stern leader wants to keep threats at bay. The soft leader doesn’t want to upset anyone. Then there is the good leader. The good leader is firm but fair. This leader can joke around but also let others know not to cross the line. Whether it’s intramural or something else in the future, be the good leader. You will go far.

Sense Of Belonging

This is a huge factor when it comes to the value of playing in intramural sports. You can be the clumsiest athlete in the world and have no confidence whatsoever and intramural sports will help you. Simply by being a part of a team, you’re going to feel a sense of belonging.

Studies have show that due to that sense of belonging, intramural sports leads to improved mood and self-esteem, stress relief, and higher grades. You might find it odd that playing is what leads to a better mood and improved grades, but playing should be a part of life. It should never be all work/no play or all play/no work. Balance is the key.

Improved Health

Studies have also shown that freshman who play intramural sports are less likely to put on the Freshman 15. This, in turn, leads to decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and improved mood and confidence.

Conclusion

Intramural sports will teach you the truth about winning and leadership skills; it will give you a sense of belonging; and it will improve your overall health. Other benefits include the importance of hard work, learning how to follow, having fun, and networking.