Students have heard of extra credit, extra mayo, and even extraterrestrials. But extramurals?
Currently, Iowa only offers students a chance to play other schools at this level in two sports — basketball and flag football.
“We host a National Intramural Recreational Sports Association flag-football tournament, and we’ve even sent a team to a basketball tournament in Lincoln, Neb.,” said Dan Payne, a graduate assistant with Recreational Services. “No other Big Ten schools host these events besides Iowa.”
While Iowa is the only Big Ten school that holds a regional event, other conference schools, such as Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio State, participate in the extramural events.
Wisconsin intramural and club-sports coordinator Nick Lumpkin said teams from the school have participated in extramurals for around seven years.
“It can enhance relationships on teams and provide them with a fun opportunity,” he said. “I participated in extramurals when I was a student and still do now as a coordinator.”
While numbers are down at Wisconsin this year, he said, the students who are participating are having a good time.
“I think the kids that are doing it now are really enjoying the experience,” he said.
The unique experience for UI students is that the extramural flag-football tournament is held at the Hawkeye Recreational Fields, giving participating teams a home-field advantage of sorts.
Oklahoma State, UCLA, and Maryland are a few of the others that host regional events.
One Iowa team that has taken advantage of being able to play on its home turf is the UISSC flag-football squad, which won the national tournament in 2007. After winning the regional tournament in Iowa City, the team traveled to the University of South Florida in Tampa Bay and came back with the national trophy.
Even student referees can earn an all-tournament officials’ plaques. The top four referees will also have their fees paid in full. Although, not everyone receives an all-expenses-paid trip from the university.
“Sometimes it’s difficult with the economy,” Payne said. “It really depends on how much money we are able to make.”
Even if students are paying their own way, though, there are a few other obstacles.
In order to be eligible for the tournaments, students must be enrolled with the minimum number of credit hours at least 45 days prior to the event, must not be on a varsity sport, and must be from the same two- or four-year degree-granting college or university.
For the teams that compete, Payne said extramural events are comparable to major college sports. With the Big Ten being known for power and the SEC for speed, Payne sees these similarities in extramurals. Although, he admits, to a lesser degree.
“Each conference in college sports has its unique style and type of play it is known for, and that can sometimes come out in the extramurals,” he said. “It offers students a good opportunity to play schools they wouldn’t normally play and see how they view the sport.”
