When transitioning from high school to college, it’s sometimes hard to be able to continue doing the sports one may have done throughout high school, simply because the school might not offer those sports.

Intramural sports offer many opportunities for continuing one’s passion for sports.

Intramural sports are sports separate from collegiate sports, they are played with and against members from UW-Eau Claire and the community, Trent Julius, a first-year physical education student, said.

Julius said he has participated in many intramurals including softball, ultimate frisbee, flag football, indoor and outdoor soccer, indoor and sand volleyball and basketball

“I did a lot of different sports in high school,” Julius said. “It’s my way of continuing it in college, as well as trying different sports now too.”

Jamie Siseman, a first-year business student and previous captain for an indoor and sand volleyball team, said any student with a Blugold ID can play.

“Even your spouse can get a ‘spousal Blugold’ if they don’t go here,” Siseman said. “Once they get the card, they can join an intramural as well and play. Otherwise, anyone enrolled in classes can join.”

Julius said one can play in as many intramural sports as they want, as long as the sports don’t have time conflicts.

He said there is no limit to the number of people who can join a team as long as the maximum amount of players isn’t exceeded in the playing area. For instance, there can only be a certain amount of people on a basketball court at once.

The team has to meet the minimum requirement for the amount of players otherwise the team is disqualified altogether, Julius said.

The total cost for one team is 50 dollars. Most teams split the total up between how many people they have, which can depend on the sport, Siseman said.

Compared to collegiate sports, intramural sports don’t have specific jerseys or personal equipment provided.

“You have to bring everything you need to wear or have personally,” Siseman said. “For instance, if you feel the need for knee pads in volleyball or a glove in softball. Otherwise they will provide things like nets and the big basics.”

Practice days for intramural sports can be any weekdays, but are usually three days a week Tuesday through Thursday, Julius said.

“It’s only an hour a day,” Julius said. “So I use it as a study break. I study beforehand, then go and expel some of my extra energy.”

He said games are Monday through Thursday with makeup games on Sundays.

Siseman said the earliest she’s heard of intramural games starting is 7:45 p.m. She said she believes the games start late because of how busy all of the gyms and fields are with the varsity and club sports.

Julius said all intramurals are popular, but the ones he has noticed being the most popular are basketball and volleyball.

“I enjoy ultimate frisbee the most,” Julius said. “I like that I can do it with everyone on my floor.”

Dirks can be reached at [email protected].