{"id":13174,"date":"2025-12-15T09:17:31","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T15:17:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin-new\/?post_type=campus_story&p=13174"},"modified":"2025-12-15T09:17:31","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T15:17:31","slug":"work-hard-play-hard-uwl-intramurals-help-students-build-community-learn-valuable-skills","status":"publish","type":"campus_story","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/story\/work-hard-play-hard-uwl-intramurals-help-students-build-community-learn-valuable-skills\/","title":{"rendered":"Work hard, play hard: UWL intramurals help students build community, learn valuable skills"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Photo:<\/a>
Intramural and recreational sports are far more than a way to stay active; they are a powerful engine for belonging, stress relief and personal growth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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At UW\u2013La Crosse, intramural and recreational sports are far more than a way to stay active; they are a powerful engine for belonging, stress relief and personal growth.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With 86% of students engaging in\u00a0Rec Sports<\/a>\u00a0and more than 353,000 annual visits to the Recreational Eagle Center (REC), the department has become one of the most impactful parts of campus life.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Survey results from fall 2024 show just how meaningful that impact is: 93% of students say Rec Sports helps them feel like they belong, 92% say it helps them cope with stress and over 80% report it even boosts academic performance.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For many students, that sense of connection begins the first time they step onto an\u00a0intramural<\/a>\u00a0court \u2014 whether to compete, to referee or simply to be part of a community.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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With more than 1,200 teams formed each year and thousands of students participating, intramurals remain one of the most vibrant sources of connection on campus.<\/em><\/em>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Junior Sammy Becker, a\u00a0biomedical science major<\/a>\u00a0and intramural team captain, says she joined intramurals to continue the team-based camaraderie she experienced in high school.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI love being around people and staying active, and by playing intramural volleyball, I can do just that,\u201d Becker says. \u201cI love the community that accompanies being part of a team sport.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Senior Noah Sellent, a\u00a0sport management major<\/a>\u00a0and Rec Sports student staff member, had a similar first impression when he started working as an official.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAfter having a great experience as an official and meeting some amazing people, I decided to apply to become a competitive sports supervisor where I have been to date,\u201d Sellent says.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While their roles differ, both students say intramurals have helped them find balance and belonging.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Becker relies on the B and C league volleyball atmosphere \u2014 friendly, supportive and low-pressure \u2014 to break up her demanding schedule.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is primarily about having fun,\u201d she explains. \u201cPlaying with friends and just hanging out is a great reprieve from the monotony and stress of everyday life.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sellent sees a similar need for stress relief reflected in every shift he supervises.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSchool can be stressful for many people, so having a space to relax and enjoy something you like can make campus life much more enjoyable,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Similar to Becker, Sellent\u2019s favorite part of intramurals is the community.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite aspect of the position is all the people I get to work with on a single shift and creating an environment that is welcoming and enjoyable for all students,\u201d he says.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Over 90% of students say Rec Sports helps them feel like they belong.<\/em><\/em>\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Both students say the intramural community has sharpened skills they can take into their future careers.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Becker notes that her communication, teamwork and leadership skills have grown through her participation in intramurals.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Sellent echoes that growth from the staff perspective.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cProblem-solving and communication skills have been the most important and prevalent,\u201d he says. \u201cYou have to be ready to adapt and communicate with participants and staff at any time.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite their different paths into intramurals, both students say the same factors keep them coming back: the people, the energy and the feeling of belonging created through Rec Sports.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBeing part of intramurals has provided me with a sense of community,\u201d Becker says. \u201cNot only with my team, but with anyone who participates.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With more than 1,200 teams formed each year and thousands of students participating, intramurals remain one of the most vibrant sources of connection on campus. A place where UWL students work hard, play hard and grow together.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Written by UW-La Crosse<\/p>\n

Link to original story: https:\/\/www.uwlax.edu\/news\/posts\/work-hard-play-hard\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At UW\u2013La Crosse, intramural and recreational sports are far more than a way to stay active; they are a powerful engine for belonging, stress relief and personal growth.\u00a0\u00a0 With 86% of students engaging in\u00a0Rec Sports\u00a0and more than 353,000 annual visits to the Recreational Eagle Center (REC), the department has become one of the most impactful […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":13175,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","institution":[104],"story_category":[147],"class_list":["post-13174","campus_story","type-campus_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","institution-uw-la-crosse","story_category-community"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story\/13174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/campus_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/campus_story"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13174"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"institution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/institution?post=13174"},{"taxonomy":"story_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/all-in-wisconsin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/story_category?post=13174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}