Published: September 23, 2010

For most sports fans, the real year starts this month with the annual arrival of NFL football. But at Fordham, armchair quarterbacks are getting a new reason to get off the couch, with  another year of intramural sports.

Every year, 4500 students, faculty, and staff make up 300 teams to participate in Fordham’s intramural sports program. This year Fordham is offering a variety of sports for those interested in a fun- filled casual sports experience.

This semester, students can choose from six different sports:  flag football, soccer, softball, five-on-five basketball, six-on-six volleyball and dodgeball.

Most leagues offer Men’s and Co-Rec divisions, with the more popular leagues also having a women’s division. Each league runs a minimum of six weeks, with at least one game a week, and ends with a two-to-three week playoff, where the best teams face off for the league championship.

The intramural program is especially advantageous for Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) students who don’t usually get to play sports. For students living in Manhattan, the intramural program gives them a rare opportunity to play without paying exorbitant league and gym fees. (The New York Urban Athletics League charges $1,130 a team for an eight-game league.) In addition to the price advantage, intramurals provide a more interesting cardio workout than merely running on the treadmill. This is great for ex-athletes who want to keep up their game and recapture the fun of competitive sports.

“I’m really excited to play [basket]ball this year,” said Ray Tam, FCLC ’12. “I’m excited to compete and to perfect my game.”

Despite the multitude of advantages for Lincoln Center students, the majority of the players are from Rose Hill. Lincoln Center students are notorious for their aversion to taking trips up to the Bronx, which has limited their number of participants.

“I think a lot of it has to do with the commute,” said Mike Roberts, coordinator of intramural and recreational sports. “I don’t think many Lincoln Center students want to come all the way up to Rose Hill.”

Because most of the field and courts used in the intramural leagues are usually filled with varsity teams practicing, many of the games are scheduled late in the evening. “I’ve had a couple of captains from Lincoln Center ask me to schedule the games earlier,”  Roberts said. These late games are a deal-breakers for students who don’t want to get home at 11 p.m. ,when they have an early class the next day.

But for students who don’t mind losing a little sleep in exchange for a fun workout, Fordham intramurals offers a rare opportunity to turn off the TV and play.

How to Sign up for & Play Intramurals:

1. Find the minimum number of players for the sport you’re looking to play.
2. Print and fill out the Online Team Roster sheet at www.fordham.edu/images/athletics/rec_sports/intramurals/intramural_roster.pd
3. Have each player print and submit an Individual Release Form.
4. Drop off all the forms at the Vince Lombardi Memorial Center located on the Rose Hill Campus.
5. The schedule for the leagues will be posted the Friday following the deadline, and the captains will receive an email with exact dates and times for the games.