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Intramural Action @ A Rural Senior Elementary School
in Bancroft, Ontario
 
Lunch-times are active at North Hasting Senior Elementary School (NHSES). Throughout the school year students are active in a variety of special events and sports. Once the system of organization is up and running, it can easily be self-sustaining. The best way to keep the program safe and well managed, while allowing students to be trained in refereeing and leadership skills, is to have ‘staffing’ plan for the lunch break activities to be scheduled/‘time tabled’ as a P.E. class.
 
If you are looking at planning an intramural program I hope that our template is helpful and easily modified to fit your school system.

INTRAMURALS - Raise the Bar - Approach @ NHSES
 
Active lunchtime intramurals were a success at a High School where I had once worked. Our students at the Senior Elementary needed the same opportunities to be active. I mentioned the idea to the staff at our Senior Elementary School and they were all in favour. We noted the need for staff involvement to ensure safety in set-up and running of the games/events. I met with students to plan out the types of sports and events. Over the years we have made some modifications of special events and sports. We chose some special events to give the year a kick-start, but we kept them brief so we could take advantage of the good weather for popular sports like soccer and ultimate Frisbee. Select students were sent an invitation to meet during a lunch hour to be part of the CAT; the Council of Athletic Tigers. The different sports/events were listed on the board, and the different committees were lined up. Discussion/explanation ensued and students were permitted to sign up once they knew what would be required of them. Expectations were reviewed so they would know how much work and time they are committing to. Remember when recruiting that many capable kids get involved in too many things and get spread too thinly. Make sure they understand the time requirements and commitment involved.
 
The teacher initiated sign-up and setting out expectations but the students do the work. To ensure the best supervision and safety, it is wise to treat this role with the respect it deserves and have a teacher paid (scheduled/timetabled) to oversee the leadership training, planning, refereeing, equipment management, promotion etc.)

Committees include:

Proper announcements, posters, and kick-start activities garnered everyone’s attention and we were ready for take-off!

INTRAMURALS - Raise the Bar - Take Off @ NHSES
 
Once the students are selected, and trained, they are supervised and able to carry out the plans. You are there to support and supervise. Equipment is safely set out and the events unfold.
 
Posted rules and common understanding will allow for you to refer a standard of expected behaviour. These also should be posted next to calendars in classrooms.
 
A weekly meeting with your core intramural crew is key to keeping short accounts. Meeting at lunch break once a week helps with communication and promotes a team atmosphere. It also helps to stay on top of planning. Review the Common Understandings that you outlined on the first week of planning.
 
Keep OPHEA intramural guidelines handy for safety procedures of sports and events.
 

INTRAMURALS - Raise the Bar - Flight @ NHSES
 
Maintain the level of enthusiasm, participation, and interest by encouraging those who participate. Also, these levels can be maintained by checking in with your staff for feedback and having them encourage their students to get involved and stay involved. Having your core crew stoked and on top of their committee responsibilities should allow for a smooth flight.
 
Rules for each sport/event should be posted next to monthly calendar of events and in the gym.
 
At the beginning of each daily intramural session, have the students sit and listen to the referees. It establishes respect and sets the tone for safety. Once the refs have reviewed key rules and expectations, they indicate who plays on which side of the gym and get out the game ball.  Keep whistles, the game scoreboard, time clock (if shifts) and the clipboard, for final scores, accessible but protected.
 
If you have an upcoming special event that requires students to sign up as a rep for his/her class, then allow time for

• advance announcements
• home-room teachers to get instruction and sign-up sheets in advance
• clear instructions about returning the sheet to a set person within a set time

Allow enough time to plan the event and know who will represent the class. To prevent the bullies from nudging the selected players out of the event, I have the teachers write down the name of a substitute. The sub is only allowed to play if the other student is absent or known to be injured.
 

INTRAMURALS - Raise the Bar - Landing @ NHSES
 
Keep the staff and students a part of the whole process. When a victory announcement is made after the lunch break and the cheer of the winning team is heard throughout the school, then you will know that everyone is having a good time.
 
Staff/Student games are a real incentive for the winning team of each sport season. An effective incentive has been letting the students know, in September, that there is a prize t-shirt for every member of the winning home room.
Use pictures for newsletters and school assemblies and to post in the halls.
 
Keep results posted and visible. We operate with a system where special events and sports have scoring systems that are totalled at the end of each event/season.
 
Points are offered for participating and no points are given if there is a no-show. You may want to set a minimum participation level for some sports. If one team has a no show, you may still run a game, with those who show up, and grant the winning points to the team that showed up. The no-shows would get a zero.
 
In the event of inclement weather, if you should lose the gym space and can’t get an alternate, then you could:

• modify the event
• reschedule next month
• cancel the game and award points for a win to both teams 

Intramural Points

Activities Offered:

Level of Participation
 
Daily attendance averages about half the population of each homeroom. For sports we average 20 - 40 players. For special events, where students sign-up, you would only have a set number of competitors on that given day. (e.g. Relays would have teams of four with a ‘sub’ signed up in advance).
 
Spectators are allowed on the stage for gym events / sports if they are from the homerooms who are matched up to play. Outdoor games allow for everyone to watch from the sidelines. Only encouraging comments are allowed from the spectators or they are directed to leave.
 
No foul language or poor behaviour is tolerated. It is one of the posted understandings and leads to ejection from the play area.
 
Special Features
 
Our Board Office provides a Resource Centre that sends out FIT KITS of different equipment. This allows us to run special events or games that we would not otherwise have the equipment for. (100 foot tug of war rope etc.)
 
Community partners have helped with such events as 4-Way Inner Tube Tug-O-War. Graphite Bible Camp has been generous to loan us inner tubes and water balloon launchers.
 
We try to offer a variety of activities to keep everyone involved in as many activities as possible. Cooperative games are great to work into the schedule. Some unconventional, creative, or artistic efforts have drawn in varied members of the classroom to help the homeroom team.
 
Barriers

• lack of enthusiasm
• lack of equipment
• lack of vision
• lack of cooperation

To bolster participation, in May when the weather gets tempting, we have an UNDERDOG CHALLENGE. The Udog Challenge also allows for a fun distraction to those teams who are behind on the scoreboard. The underdogs are told who they will compete against, but they are allowed to choose an event in which they are strong and their opponent is week. The contest needs to be in a sport or special event which has already been run so far in the current school year.
 
Barriers are only hurdles that are to be overcome!
 
Importance

• Fitness Level
• Fun
• School Spirit
• Character Education
• Self-Esteem Building
• Reducing Obesity
• Establishing Teamwork
• Releasing Endorphins
• Less behaviour problems because students are engaged and feel a sense of belonging. Also the cathartic affect of activity leads to better behaviour. If the students are active in a positive activity then they are not roaming around and getting into trouble.
• 20-40 less students to supervise during ‘yard duty’
• Leadership training for core crew, referees, and committee members

Below are copies of support documents that you are free to copy and use. You are welcome to modify them for your use.
 
Ian Boyd  

Intramurals
3:3 B-ball Tourney
King’s Court/Dodge Ball
Flag Football
The Underdog Challenge
Floor Hockey