Chapman intramurals: competing for the love of the sport

Chapman students with athletic backgrounds compare their experiences of playing intramural sports to playing for a school or club team. Photo courtesy of Aaron Johnson.

When the goal of playing sports competitively for a school or club is to win as many games and awards as possible, sometimes the passion for playing sports can be lost in the mix. Athletes can become so focused on training and being the best at their craft, they forget the reason why they picked up the sport in the first place.

Chapman intramurals compete throughout the year in a wide variety of sports. In the fall semester, students have the opportunity to play basketball and volleyball, and in the spring semester, both sports are offered with the addition of ultimate frisbee and soccer. 

Senior business finance major Cody Harris had some athletic experience coming into intramurals. He played basketball and ran cross country in the Navy. Harris said he saw competing in intramurals as a good alternative to playing for Chapman’s basketball team.

“I don’t have enough time to commit to that,” he said. “I don’t think I’m necessarily in shape enough to actually make the team. So it was another way to keep playing basketball without that extra responsibility.”

Another thing that Harris pointed out was the level of competition that comes along with playing intramurals. He said the strictness of the game isn’t taken as seriously.

“(Intramural basketball) has more of an open gym, playing-at-the-park type of vibe versus playing with referees and an actual coach,” Harris said. “There’s no refs, there’s no coach, so it’s kind of, I wouldn’t say free for all, but it’s not as structured. The competition level is definitely less, but… [that] makes it a lot more enjoyable.”

Aaron Johnson, a junior communication studies major, is teammates with Harris and has been playing basketball for 10 years. He decided to compete in intramurals this year with the hopes of making Chapman’s basketball team next year. He also mentioned how the absence of coaches and referees allows him and his teammates to focus on themselves.

“You don’t have coaches or referees ... who are looking at you, getting you to (play better),” Johnson said. “It’s on yourself to improve, and I think being a part of that environment with other people who are in the same position that I am of trying to be on the team, we all work together and work hard to make that happen. So, it definitely helps to be in the right league and I think it's a good experience so far.”

Fifth-year computer science major Samuel Ellenhorn played a wide variety of sports growing up, including basketball. During his freshman year, Ellenhorn got more invested in the sport by playing against other students on the dorm courts. As a result, he decided to sign up for intramural basketball.

Sometimes playing for a team means being limited in what you can do individually during games in order to execute a broader game plan. In contrast, Ellenhorn said intramural sports allow players more room to experiment with new tactics and movements during games.

“It’s more fun. You’re more likely to try something you wouldn’t,” Ellenhorn said. “If you’re playing a really competitive guy, (he might say), ‘Why are you taking that shot?’”

In spite of the increased individual freedoms for players, team chemistry is still a critical component of intramural sports, similar to playing for a school or club team. Johnson recalled bonding with his teammates through workouts at their local LA Fitness outside of practice.

“You have to have that bond to play collectively, and you have to know each other very well just from playing, without having to have much verbal communication,” Johnson said. “So, you definitely feel more involved, especially given there’s only two other players; you definitely feel more included. It’s a great feeling.” 

This fall semester is Johnson’s first time competing on Chapman’s intramural basketball team, and so far it has been a great experience for him. He fondly reflected on the second week of intramurals, when he and his teammates went on a scoring frenzy with two minutes left in their game. 

“It was a good experience and a great memory, because just the emotions that we got sparked and our ability to play together was so crucial; it was amazing,” Johnson said.

Ellenhorn said in addition to intramural sports allowing him the opportunity to connect with similarly passionate athletes, the window of time each week spent playing with his teammates provides a soothing sense of detachment from regular college life.

“I think it's really good mentally once a week, just to dedicate some time and play some sports with some friends, be competitive (and) get some energy out,” Ellenhorn said. “It’s nice that Chapman offers that. We’re super privileged to go to this school; there’s a lot of opportunities.”