So you think intramurals are for the nonathletic who weren’t good enough to play sports in college? Think again. Intramurals at Iowa State are a big deal, so be ready and make sure to have an open mind and good attitude.

“It’s not as easy I thought it was going to be; it’s a lot more competitive than you think,” said Travis Keeney, junior in industrial technology. “There are a lot of people here, with a lot of different backgrounds and athletic experience. Someone who was the best in high school probably isn’t the best here.”

If you get knocked off your feet right away, though, don’t worry – there’s a reason.

“The freshmen need to realize that at our top skill levels, they are playing against students three to five years older than them, which makes a difference,” said Garry Greenlee, associate director of intramurals.

Keeney has participated in multiple intramurals and still hasn’t come home with the granddaddy of all prizes at Iowa State: the elusive intramural champion T-shirt.

“While your degree will be the most important thing you receive at ISU, the intramural championship T-shirt may be the hardest thing to get. It’s tradition,” Greenlee said.

Linda Marticke, program coordinator for recreation services, agreed.

“The intramural champion T-shirt has become somewhat of a ‘status’ symbol on the ISU campus, but participating is all about having fun with new friends and old friends,” Marticke said.

With such a wide array and large population of students at Iowa State, there are dozens of different intramurals to participate in year-round.

The most popular intramurals are flag football, basketball and a sport exclusive to Iowa State: broomball.

Broomball is played late at night and sometimes well into the morning on the ice at the Ames/ISU Ice Arena. It involves sliding around on the ice with your shoes and scoring goals with a broom.

Other activities offered are volleyball, soccer, ultimate Frisbee, golf, pingpong, NCAA Pick’em and more.

“We have something for everyone, for all different skill levels and interests,” Greenlee said.

“It’s a great social atmosphere and way to make connections with students across our campus community. The only loser is the nonparticipant.”

Marticke said the love of your life may be out there on the field waiting for you to come and compete and you could sweep them off their feet with your athletic abilities.

“Playing intramurals is a great way to relax and have some fun,” Marticke said.

“You meet new people and get to know them better through this participation. Many students make lifelong friends in college, and find their future spouses, partners or best friends.”

Signing up is easy. Visit www.recservices.iastate.edu and click on the intramurals tab. Your life may never be the same.