chapter 15

1. chapter15 Conducting Intramural Sports

2. What Are Intramural Programs? • These programs are opportunities to play both team and individual sports on a regular basis for a period of time (a season). • They are held within the school (teams do not play others outside the school). • Major goal is participation, not winning. • Emphasis is on playing the game, not practice or instruction. • Play does not have to be regulation.

3. Pros and Cons of Times to Hold Intramurals • Before school • For high school students who work in the afternoons, this is a welcomed opportunity. • Unless an activity bus is provided, students who are bused to school may not be able to come early. • Secondary schools often start early, and students in this age group may have difficulty getting up even earlier. • Lunchtime • This time period is available for all students. • Student time and facilities are likely to be limited. (continued)

4. Pros and Cons of Times to Hold Intramurals(continued) • After school • Typically this is a good time for most students. • Unless an activity bus is provided, students who are bused to school may not be able to stay late. • There will be competition with athletics for facilities. • This time will conflict with schedules of high school students who work.

5. Modifying Play • Ways in which play can be modified: • Number of players • Amount of equipment • Size of court or field • Game time • Rules defining what players can and cannot do (continued)

6. Modifying Play (continued) • The modified forms of sports should be taught as part of the physical education program; this will make the transition to intramural play easier. • This is particularly helpful for those who play youth sports outside of school and play with official rules or different rules.

7. Student Leadership • One of the objectives of a student physical activity program should be to develop student leadership skill: • This experience contributes to the development of the student. • Student leaders are needed in order for programs to be conducted more efficiently. (continued)

8. Student Leadership(continued) • Student leaders can serve a variety of functions within the intramural program: • As representatives on the physical activity program council • As captains of teams • As officials • As aids in promotion and in any administrative function of the program (continued)

9. Student Leadership(continued) • Student leaders and officials can be recruited from physical education classes or from an open advertisement requesting volunteers, or can be handpicked by the program administrators. • Middle school programs are likely to need more help. You may consider asking high school students to come in and work with the younger students. • Student leaders should be recognized for their efforts.

10. Student Officials • Train officials to respond consistently, decisively, and assertively. • Evaluate the officials (supervisor and player). • Provide officials with professional attire and equipment. • Support the officials in conflicts with players and in disciplining players who cannot accept the decisions of officials. • Make sure that all players have access to game rules, and have officials clarify any confusing rules to players or teams.

11. The Role of Team Captains • Making sure that team members know when they are going to play and that they show up for the game • Sharing what the rules of play will be • Maintaining the fair play and behavior standards of the program • Obtaining equipment and putting it away after a game • Making sure that team standings are reported and posted correctly • When there are substitutes, deciding who will play when and in what position, and making sure that everyone gets equal playing time

12. Organizing Competition Should teams have a permanent stature? • Younger middle school students may be more attracted to less formal organizations. • Many high school students will prefer a more permanent and long-term arrangement. • Offer both.

13. Tournaments and Leagues • Tournaments are usually considered more short-term (several days). • Leagues are considered morelong-term competition between teams (weeks). • A tournament or league that arrives at a winner can be set up in several ways.

14. Round Robin Format • Each team plays every other team. • The team you play next is not dependent on winning or losing. • The winner of the tournament or league is the team or person with the most wins. • Each team should be scheduled to play at least twice a week in order to get the physical activity benefits of participation. (continued)

15. Round Robin Format (continued) • Run the program three or more days a week and make sure that each team plays at least two times per week. • If you have open time for the facilities, allowing each team to come to a practice day or clinic is helpful, particularly for the middle school. • The master schedule should be posted, and if possible all players should be given a copy so they can circle the days they will play. • If there are 16 teams, the tournament will have 15 rounds. (continued)

16. Round Robin Format(continued) • With an odd number of teams, one of the lines of the bracket is scheduled as a bye. • The ideal number of teams for a round robin tournament is between four and eight. (continued)

17. Round Robin Format(continued) • Round robin tournaments are not useful when there are many teams or when space or time is limited, making it difficult to have every team play every other team. To help this situation: • Reduce the duration of games. • Establish two or more divisions. (continued)

18. Round Robin Format(continued) • Advantages over other formats: • Teams are not eliminated. • Every person or team gets an equal chance to play every other person or team. • Round robins are easy to organize ahead of time, and players can easily understand the format. • If games have to be rescheduled or made up, they don’t upset the other decisions as to who will play who. (continued)

19. Round Robin Format (continued)

20. Elimination Formats • A bracket is a graphic illustration of who plays who to arrive at a “winner.” • The goal of elimination formats is not necessarily participation but to choose a winner in the quickest way. • The single elimination bracket has only three rounds for an eight-team tournament, and a team could be eliminated from play in the first round. (continued)

21. Elimination Formats(continued) • In the double elimination tournament, a team that lost in the first round would get one more chance and could be eliminated after two games. • The multilevel format puts teams that lose into a different bracket and allows them to play for four out of the five rounds of the tournament. • For most school settings and particularly for intramural programs, choosing a winner is not as important as maximizing participation. Elimination formats are appropriate for a “special tournament” that you might want to hold for a short period of time.

22. Challenge Tournaments • Can be designed as a ladder, pyramid, or king or queen. • Players or teams get to challenge each other, and the player in the top position at the end of the tournament is the winner. • Players can be ranked or can be placed in the ladder according to when they sign up to play. • When a player defeats a position at a higher level, he or she takes that position. (continued)

23. Challenge Tournaments (continued) • It is usually best to make some rules governing the procedures of the tournament, for example: • Players cannot challenge a player more than two rungs above where they are. • All play must be complete within a week. • Players cannot challenge the same other player until at least one other match has been played. • The winner has the responsibility of recording or turning in the score to the appropriate organizer. • The challenge format is ideal for use in situations in which players can set up a time to play before school, after school, or on weekends.

24. Teaching Values Do not let misbehavior go unnoticed or let it continue. • Be clear about what you expect from students in these sport settings. • Communicate your expectations so that there is no question about what the expectations are for program participation. • Reinforce your expectations and hold participants accountable for what you expect.

25. Common Problems in School Sport Settings (continued)

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28. Common Problems in School Sport Settings (continued) (continued)

29. Common Problems in School Sport Settings (continued) (continued)

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31. Common Problems in School Sport Settings (continued)

32. Expectations for Student Behavior • Following and respecting the rules of play (honesty, respect for officials’ calls, playing by the rules, and so on) • Respecting the equipment • Participating in a way that is safe for others as well as oneself • Being a gracious winner and loser and valuing participation for its own sake (continued)

33. Expectations for Student Behavior (continued) • Supporting other participants, including opponents (treating others as you would have others treat you, supporting a good play even by an opponent, encouraging teammates, behaving inclusively, and so on) • Being in control of my body and in control of my emotions (no swearing and no reckless behavior, either verbal or physical) • Doing my best

34. Communicating Program Expectations • Post the code of conduct in a place where students can read it (e.g., bulletin boards, school Web page, e-mails). • Print the code of conduct for distribution to all participants, and have students sign an agreement to abide by the code. • At the captain’s meeting, emphasize the role of the captain in communicating and enforcing the code of conduct. • Teach the code of conduct in physical education classes.

35. Accountability for Student Behavior • Supervisors and officials must be trained to enforce the code of conduct and understand what they will permit and not permit in terms of behavior, as well as what positive behaviors they will be looking for to reinforce. • Student officials can reinforce positive behavior but should not have to deal directly with difficult students. • Student officials should communicate with the captain of the team or, in the case of more serious disciplinary issues, go directly to the supervisor of the activity. (continued)

36. Accountability for Student Behavior(continued) • Another way to reinforce the code of conduct that is a more positive approach is to award players who exemplify the code in their own behavior. • This will probably be more effective with middle school students than with high school students and should not be overdone (awards are trivialized when too many are given out). (continued)

37. Accountability for Student Behavior (continued) • Establish policy to warn or remove a participant • Repeated or severe breaches of the code of conduct should be handled quickly and decisively. • Programs should have a policy of a warning given to the participant by the supervisor, followed by a decision to remove the player from the program (approved by the administration and communicated in the code of conduct). • Administrators should be given the “heads up” regarding any incidents in which a student has had to be removed from participation.