An intramural sports program provides elementary school children opportunities to participate in physical activities beyond physical education classes. It reinforces skills learned in class, builds new skills, and fosters cooperation among students. Every school should have an intramural program organized by teachers and a coordinator. The program is balanced and tailored to the school's facilities and equipment. It allows all ability levels to participate in a competitive but supportive environment. An intramural handbook can help organize activities and ensure a quality program that benefits students.

1. 23
Chapter 8 – William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
Develop a Successful Intramural Program
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. It also makes Jill a dull girl. For this
reason, elementary children must be offered the opportunity to participate in physical
activities apart from regularly scheduled physical education classes. Intramural sports
provide the perfect opportunity. A well-organized intramural program reinforces the skills
that have been taught during physical education, builds new skills, and strengthens
desirable attitudes such as cooperation among children.
Every school, regardless of size, must participate actively in intramural
competition. Teachers must become familiar with what a successful program entails.
Often, simply pointing out the need for such a program to the principal, who then
informs the central administration, is enough to get the program started. The intramural
program is a vital link in the school’s educational program, for it, too, is an educative
process. Through intramural sports, children learn valuable lessons that could never be
taught in the classrooms. Team effort, good sportsmanship, and fight-to-the-finish
attitudes prepare today’s little people for tomorrow’s ventures. From the dust of ball
fields rise future businessmen and businesswomen, civic leaders, and professionals.
An intramural program must be tailored to available school equipment and
facilities. Occasionally, this severely limits what a school can offer. Keep in mind
however, that the program’s success is not measured by the shine of the new
equipment but rather by the shine in the children’s eyes.
Competition between intramural teams can be organized through homeroom
teams, teams for each grade level, physical education classes, or through groups based
on weight, height, or chronological age. The intramural teams must be as evenly
balanced as possible. Varsity players must not participate in the same sport on an
intramural level. Instead, use them as helpers. Children who do not posses the ability to
participate on the varsity level must not be expected to compete at this level.
Use pyramid tournaments, single or double elimination, round robin, ladder, or
any other type of tournament for competitive purposes. If these activities cannot be

2. 24
scheduled during the lunch period, or before or after school, then and only then should
they be held during the regularly scheduled physical education period. Since many
elementary children are bused to and from school each day, the intramural programs
can also be scheduled during the regular school day in order to offer these children the
opportunity to participate.
Not all teachers posses the athletic abilities necessary to lead and conduct an
intramural program; however, all teachers must get involved in some way so they can
periodically evaluate the program’s value and offer positive suggestions for
improvement. An interested faculty member might be asked to serve as intramural
coordinator or director for the entire school. In larger schools, it may be necessary to
have more than one coordinator.
Parents must give written consent before their child is allowed to participate in
intramural activities. No child is to be excluded from participating because of poor
academic achievement. In fact, participating in intramurals could be a motivator for the
child not performing well in the classroom.
Some intramural activities can be scheduled throughout the school year, while
others work better when scheduled in the fall, winter, or springtime. Special bulletins
providing the details of the various activities can be distributed to parents. This is an
excellent public relations tool, for parents will appreciate the opportunity to see their
child compete, regardless of his athletic ability.
If certain children are limited in their natural athletic abilities, a solid remedial
intramural program must be established immediately in order to satisfy the needs of
these children. If the remedial program is not spearheaded by the principal, then
elementary teachers must accept the responsibility of organizing the program.
An intramural handbook can prove to be a valuable tool for teachers organizing
activities. Study the aims, objectives, and goals of various intramural programs. The
result will be a better program due to the fact that the coordinator is informed and
understands what elements are essential for creating a quality elementary school
intramural program.

3. 25
A Thought in Words
Education is the apprenticeship of life. Willmott
Copyright © 2018 by William Allan Kritsonis
William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
Editor-in-Chief
NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS
17603 Bending Post Drive
Houston, Texas 77095
Global Website: www.nationalforum.com
832.483.7889 Cell
281.550.5700 Home