MSU’s recreation program means getting out and trying something new

One thing that may ride a little under the radar here at MSU is the wonderful intramural and club sports program. MSU offers a wide variety of sports and activities and there’s something for everyone.

With 27 sports, including soccer, boxing and even timbersports, there’s a large range of choices. Even if there’s a sport you want to try that isn't offered there’s an option to start your own club.

Joining a recreational sports team has many benefits from getting outside and running around to meeting new people and creating lifelong friendships.

For Ty Atwater, MSU’s associate director of Outdoor Recreation -MS, making connections with new people is one of the best aspects of the MSU rec sports program.

“I oversee anything that students can register for through campus registration. So that’s club sports, intramural sports, group fitness program and our outdoor rec program,” said Atwater. “I’ve worked in rec kind of my whole adult life, and I really enjoy the opportunity that our recreation program creates. It builds connections; whether it's through a trip with our outdoor rec program, participating in a club sport or being on a intramural team it provides that connection with others,” he said. “The ability to go play, de-stress and be active is such a powerful part of the student experience.”

MSU is actively working to expand its club sports program by adding new sports and perfecting the system already in place. The COVID-19 pandemic was hard for the program across all departments, but it’s now up and running smoothly again, Atwater said. With the new Wellness Center on the way, the rec program is only going to improve and provide a better service for students.

Whether you're a former highschool hockey player, just getting into spikeball or want to be in a group of happy, active and outdoorsy people, I encourage you to look into the rec sports and intramural program. I joined the men's club soccer team only two weeks into my freshman year, and it was the best decision I’ve made here at MSU.

“Be active, go do things with like minded peers. I think one of the really cool things is that it pushes you outside of those comfort zones,” Atwater said. “That chance to connect is really cool. The activity might be the reason you open the door, but then the connection is what gets built.”

To find a list of club sports you can visit, https://www.montana.edu/clubsports/directory.html.

You can also find the intramural sport list athttps://www.imleagues.com/spa/intramural/5d7efe1a35594566a3d0c8231c1a95fd/home.

If you haven’t found what you’re looking for and want to start your own club you can start that process at, https://www.montana.edu/engagement/organizations/start.html.