During a time in which many clubs or student programs are beginning to take form, New Mexico State University’s intramural program wants to remind students to not forget about them.

While NMSU has been ranked a top-tier university in the nation for academics, the intramural culture within the school often gets left in the shadows.

“I want it to be known these things are here” Marcus Moser, the Director of Intramural Sports with the University, said. “Students are already paying for all of these accessibilities, why not take advantage.”

NMSU offers a variety of different sports for students to take part in. Ranging from traditional sports such as basketball and soccer, to more unique games you would only find in intramurals, like ultimate Frisbee, and kickball. These sports compete with others in the NMSU community, split into divisions of men, women, and co-ed. A student is eligible to play intramurals if they are members of AggieFit or are taking at least 12 credit hours with the main campus of NMSU.

“Whether you’re in the game, or on the sidelines – it’s a fun atmosphere to be around,” Michael Chambers, an intramural sports student employee said. “It’s different from your everyday organization, we focus on what benefits the participants than our own benefits.”

For some, this can be a way to try out sports they have never expected to like. For others, it’s a great way to bond with fellow students while making more connections and community in the process. “A lot of people enjoy us because of the environment,” Morgan Gardner, a manager with intramurals said. “It’s not a serious environment. It’s more recreational – more fun for everyone.”

These teams are sport leagues that often play once or twice a week. Students can join or create a team, which consists of anyone they would like to compete with. Additionally, any teams that make it to playoffs in their leagues also compete towards the “Aggie Cup”  which is an overall accumulation award of teams across many of the sports. Each sport falls within a certain tier which coincides with a point availability.

For the Fall semester, the sports teams that are available vary from soccer, volleyball as well as flag football, and co-rec basketball.

“I’m trying to get out more of the bigger sports first,” Moser said. “So they get a more comfortable feel for what we are doing here. By next year, I want to have flag football, soccer, basketball, and volleyball all year round.”

For most sports, there is still sections for competitive and more enjoyment filled expectations with two different divisions – rec sports and competitive.

For students interested in joining intramurals, they must go online and make an account through IMLegaues.com where they are also scheduled for games. It may not be a fraternity, sorority, or other student organization, but intramurals is still providing students with a sense of quality camaraderie all while breaking a sweat.