This year, my friends convinced me to play intramural rec volleyball. To put this in perspective, the last time I played volleyball even semi-competitively was in grade 8. That was a long time ago. After warning them multiple times that this was a bad idea, I finally caved in to their peer pressure and joined their team. For those of you that do not know, intramurals in university typically come in two levels: competitive and recreational. Competitive is for those who typically played volleyball in high school and take it seriously. Recreational, which is obviously what I play, is more for the people going out to have a good time with their friends and to stay active.
Here are some things you need to know about intramural volleyball:
The more creative the name, the better
There are very few limitations to what you cannot name your team. Actually, I am pretty sure that the only rule is that the name cannot be racist. As university students, this leaves a wide variety of creative names that you can choose. Typically names can get quite scandalous. Some of the best volleyball ones I have seen are Balls Deep, Just the Tip, Unprotected Sets, and We Always Get It Up.
Show team spirit!
Show up to the games in team t-shirts, or even a specific colour scheme! This will definitely increase team cohesion. Plus, who doesn’t want a fun t-shirt with a team logo on it?
Sometimes there is a long break in between games
Some nights teams will play multiple games, which can leave up to hour-long breaks. What does one do during this time? Drink, of course! The walk to Sam’s or Jimmy G’s is not very long and what better way to bond with your team than to go drinking? This is more typically found in rec volleyball. Hey, maybe your game will get better!
Post-game drinks at someone’s house
The best way to celebrate a win, or sometimes to forget a loss, is to hang out with the team after the game. Team bonding at somebody’s house after the game is a great way to improve your team’s spirit!
So if anyone is looking to go out and be active, plus they want to have fun with their friends, I would highly recommend looking into playing intramurals. Maybe even try a new sport; it is all for fun anyways.