Getting out and exercising while also building relationships and having fun are aspects that make intramural sports a critical part of West Virginia University.

“On a campus with over 25,000 students, intramural sports help participants find community and belonging,” Avery Conner, a Hedgesville native and a senior studying political science and philosophy, said.

For Conner, now a student worker in the competitive sports program, intramurals offer a way to decompress and act as a stress reliever. She has officiated, supervised and participated in a variety of sports through the program.

“I have seen firsthand the way intramural sports affect students on campus as they allow them to let go of the everyday stressors that come along with being in college and provide an opportunity to meet other people,” Conner said.

Sean Hawley, a senior exercise physiology major from Florence, South Carolina, who also works in the competitive sports program, said building relationships is one of the highlights of intramural sports at WVU.

“Through participating in intramurals, you get the chance to meet a lot of different people from all different backgrounds,” he said. “Not only do you have the fun of connection, but you also have the chance to make meaningful friendships with your teammates and also with the teams you are competing against.”

Open to students, faculty and staff through Campus Recreation at WVU, the Intramural Sports Program is accepting registrations through Sept. 4 via the WVUGo website or app for a variety of competitive sports.

Tourney and season formats run each semester in men’s, women’s, co-rec and open leagues.

Jakob Bearhope, coordinator for competitive sports at Campus Recreation, said participation in intramurals helps physical and mental health.

“We offer a wide range of activities for students to stay active in both competitive and recreational settings,” he said. “Our competitive leagues are designed for those looking for competition and winners of these leagues receive intramural champion T-shirts. Our recreational leagues are for individuals to participate and have a good time with friends or to try a sport they have never played before. Intramurals not only impact physical wellbeing, but also impact both social and academic behaviors of students.”

Bearhope referenced a WVU study, which shows students who participated in campus recreation activities, including intramural sports, had higher retention rates and higher GPAs than those who did not participate.

For students looking for a place to start, Hawley suggests identifying different sports out of the norm, then finding others to try and create a team.

“Through playing, I’ve met and created so many friendships and always look forward to playing each year,” he said.