Intramural FAQs
Intramural Sports: HOW ALL THIS WORKS
Looking to continue your athletic career at The University of Alabama? Intramural Sports may be the answer. We’ve got nearly 40 sports and events each year in which you can battle to become an UA All-Campus Champion. So how can you get involved? Well, here are some tips to help MAKE INTRAMURAL SPORTS A PART OF YOUR DAY!
Team Sports
If you're used to playing the traditional team sports, then try an Intramural Sports league. We set up leagues for men's, women's, and co-rec (ladies & fellas) teams of all different skill levels in a variety of sports.
Forming a Team
The easiest way to get involved in team sports is to form a team on your own. You and a couple friends, perhaps the hall of your dorm or the neighbors in your apartment complex. Student organizations such as fraternities and sororities as well as other campus groups often put together teams. Ask at your organization at its next group meeting. To find out how many players you'll need for a complete team, browse through the sport’s rules available online.
How to Register
Once you've got a squad together, you'll need to register. The key here is to REGISTER EARLY! So, when you do register? Well, each sport has its own registration period. To find out when that is for each sport, check our Sports Planner for each semester. The Sports Planner is available online and in the IM Sports Office approximately 2 months prior to each semester, so you'll have plenty of time to plan for upcoming sports.
You'll register for all sports at the Intramural Sports Office located in the Student Recreation Center. We advise attempting to register on the FIRST DAY of the registration period. Just one person for your team will need to sign-up.
Registration Options
Team sport registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. In general, leagues are set-up so that each team plays once each week at the same time and on the same day for four of a five week season with a three-week playoff tournament following the regular season. We'll offer different leagues on different days and at different times. For example, our pro men's league times may be Sundays at 9, Sundays at 10, Mondays at 8, Tuesdays at 9, and Thursdays at 10. You'd then select one of these times for your team. Teams can only register for one time period in a sport. Have an idea of when your team will be available to play when you come in to register so that you can be flexible in case the time you had wanted is already full when you arrive. Like getting a good class time, our popular days and times fill VERY QUICKLY, so the earlier your team registers, the better. Registration starts at 12 Noon on the first day of the entry period.
Mandatory Captains Meetings
Once you've registered a team, you or a teammate MUST attend the mandatory captains meeting for the sport. Someone must be designated the team captain. The date, time, and place of the captains meeting is listed on the Sports Planner and displayed during registration at the Intramural Sports web site. Even if you're an expert in the sport, you or a teammate still MUST make the meeting. It's mandatory, so make it there. The captains meeting typically takes about 45 minutes and covers the sport's rules, eligibility requirements for your players, and other IM policies and procedures.
Regular Season Schedules & Team Rosters
Regular season schedules for the majority of teams are available online the day following the captains meeting. Simply print it out and you'll have who you play throughout the season. On the night of your game your team members should arrive at least 15 minutes early to sign-in at the game site. An ACTion Card is required for all participants. We'll form your team roster from those players who sign-in at the game site. You can add players at any time, until your last regular season game. So new players can join for the 2nd week of the season, or the 3rd and so on. Players can only play on ONE team at a time and once a player has joined a team he/she can NOT switch to another team. Play each game and behave yourself (we have team sportsmanship requirements) and you'll advance to the playoffs. There is another meeting for team captains to select their playoff position. More about the playoff structure, sportsmanship, and other sport requirements will be discussed at the captains meeting prior to the season. More specific information is also available online in the Intramural Handbook.
Team Sport Free Agents
OK, so all this stuff about registering a team is great, but what if you don't know enough people to form a team on your own? Well, for most of our major team sports, we will put together free agent lists. To register as a free agent for a sport, sign up in the Intramural Sports Office located in the Student Recreation Center. The IM Free Agent group is advertised to existing teams so they might call you and ask you to join their team. If that doesn't happen, then we'll put together teams of all free agents to compete in our leagues. We put together these teams at a free agent meeting, so when you sign-up be sure to find out when and where that free agent meeting will be. At the free agent meeting, you'll be able to meet your teammates, establish practice times, etc.
Team Practices
Since you're forming your own teams, you also coordinate your own practices. Practice as much or as little as you want, but Intramural Sports does NOT schedule times for teams to practice. In general, all fields at the Intramural Sports Field Complex are booked between 6 pm and 12 Midnight Sunday through Thursday nights. You may be able to find a corner of the field to practice on, but the place is pretty packed and it's unlikely. As long as it is good weather the Intramural Sports Field Complex is open, you can come out to the Intramural Sports Field Complex prior to 6:00 on these days or at almost anytime on Friday or Saturday to practice. There will be times with other activities are scheduled, so it's still not a guarantee that you'll be able to practice, but the chances that space will be available are much better. If you're looking for space to practice an indoor sport, you'll need to try the Student Recreation Center.
Individual/Dual Sports
If sports for one or for you and a partner are what you're looking for, then try one of our individual or dual sports tournaments. Singles and doubles tournaments are available in numerous racquet sports, billiards, and sport skills challenges check our Sports Planner for each semester.
How to Register & Getting Your Schedule
Registering for individual and dual sports takes in our office. A $10 or $20 forfeit fee is invloved, and provided you do not forfeit that fee will be returned. TheSports Plannerwill indicate when to come in the office to register for a particular sport. Therefore, check theSports Plannerfor registration information. After you've registered you will need to attend the mandatory captains meeting and discuss details about the event including when to look for schedules and what you might be required to bring (a can of balls, for example). Season Schedules and Tournament Brackets are posted online following the captain’s meeting, so be sure to check back to see when your first match will be.
Special Events and Meets
Intramural Sports hosts several special events and meets that happen just once each academic year. To make sure you don't miss our annual swimming and wrestling meets, be sure to check theSports Planner for the event dates. Most of our special events occur on Friday and Saturday.
How to Register
Registration varies for each meet. For XBOX and Punt, Pass, and Kick, no preregistration is necessary but encouraged. Participants simply sign-up at the event. . Other events require registration in the IM Sports Office (Student Recreation Center) as a small fee is required for participation. Fees and registration methods are listed on theSports Planner to help you plan for the event. Participation follows the traditional event format for each sport. Specific details regarding each event are typically available 2 months prior to the event.
Still Have Questions?
No problem. Simply stop by the Intramural Sports Office in the Student Recreation Center any weekday from 10 am – 4:30 pm and speak to our friendly office staff. Or, you can call our office at 348-8055. Finally, you can also send us an email.