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Recruitment & Retention of
First Year Students in
Dalhousie Intramurals
Amr El Sherif
Campus Recreation Office Intern

Agenda
 About Me
 Purpose of study
 Methods
 Survey Results
 Study Limitations
 Recommendations
 Conclusion
 Acknowledgements

About Me
 5th year Recreation Management Student.
 Resident Assistant at Howe Hall
 Passion for sports.
 Recently became interested in body building.
Personal Record = 315 lbs.

Purpose of Study
 Look into increasing recruitment & retention of first year students
within Dalhousie’s Intramural sport offerings.

Methods
 Primary data collection - 3 surveys were created to yield information from the
following groups:
 1) First year students. (n=21)
 2) Sport Representatives & Team Captains(n=10)
 3) Intramural Coordinator’s at other Canadian Universities. (n=10)

Methods
 Secondary data collection
 Several meetings with the Communications Coordinator and Marketing &
Communications Manager.
 Meeting with Residence Life Managers (RLM).

Study Limitations
 Time
 Howe Hall residents were the only on-campus students surveyed.
 Not enough Off-Campus participants in study.

First Year students’ Survey Results
First Year Students’ Survey Results
Sport Representative/Team Captain Survey
Canadian Universities Survey

Survey Results
Average age of Participants M=19.25
Housing On-Campus = 90%, Off-Campus = 10%
Biological Sex Male = 80%, Female = 20%
# Students Enrolled in Dalhousie
Intramurals
14
# Students Not Enrolled in Dalhousie
Intramurals
7
Non-International Students 13
International Students 8
Fields of Study - Major Business, Journalism, Science, Engineering,
Health Promotion, and Arts
Demographics of Survey Respondents

Survey Results
What Residence do you currently live in?
Residence Building Sample Frequency (N)
Howe Hall 19 (90.4%)
N/A (live off campus) 2 (9.6%)

Survey Results
What do you know about Dalhousie Intramurals?
 “Almost nothing, only that they exist.”
 “Students are able to join recreational sports and activities and compete
and play against one another throughout the school year and have fun.”
 "They are activities just for fun, not really competitive.”
Aware of Dalhousie Intramurals Not Aware of Dalhousie Intramurals
19 (90.5%) 2 (9.5%)

Survey Results
Sample Frequency (N)
Word of Mouth 9
Other 4
Orientation 3 (14%)
Online 3
Not Aware of Intramurals 2
*Other includes Residence promotion via registration tables, Guidance councillor, Residence council, and by going to Dalplex.
How did you become aware of Dalhousie Intramurals?

Survey Results
Did you participate in every game with your team throughout the entire league?
if not, why?
Response Sample Number (N)
Yes 5
No 9
Reasons include:
1) Schoolwork
2) Work
3) Late timings of games (Hockey)
4) Injury
5) Schedule conflicts/other commitments

Survey Results
If you do attend all of your teams scheduled games, what is it that encourages
you to frequently participate?
N/A 7
Entertainment 5
Health 5
Other 5
Social 4
Stress buster 2
* Five students had more than one response
* Other = Passion for sport

Survey Results
Do you think any changes should be made to the way Dalhousie Intramural
staff communicate with first year students (such as yourself)?
 “Stronger promotion like posters and through social media. Promoting during
the o-week is a good idea.”
 “Perhaps have a system where teams could find players to fill in spots since I
know many first years who are always looking to play”
Yes No
11 (57.9%) 8 (42.1%)

Survey Results
What would you typically do if you wanted to learn more about Dalhousie
Intramurals?
Response Sample Frequency (N)
Online/Dal Website 10
Word of Mouth 9
RA (Resident Assistant) 4
Go to Dalplex 3
*Several students had more than one response

Survey Results
How often do you visit the Dalhousie Intramurals website?
(1=Daily, 2=Weekly, 3= Monthly,
4= Once a semester, 5= Never)
Never (5) 14
Once a Semester (4) 3
Monthly (3) 3
Weekly (2) 1
Daily (1) 0

Survey Results
Is there anything holding you back from registering a team and/or participating
in all games in an Intramural league? If so, what constraints to participation are
present?
 “Lack of other first year students in competitive sports.”
 “If a game starts at midnight it doesn't end until 1. Which means I'm not
getting home until 2am. If I have a 9:30 class I need to be up at around 7am.
That's not enough sleep.
 School work and late times (other commitments)
Yes No
10 (58.8%) 7 (41.2%)

Survey Results
How helpful was your sport representative (student responsible for signing up
teams in your specific residence)?
 “A friend signed us up as a group, never contacted the sport representative“
 “I don’t have one”
Helpful Not Helpful
1 (7%) 14 (93%)

Survey Results
Did your RA provide you with any information on Dalhousie Intramurals? If so,
did it assist you with participating?
Yes No
8 (44.4%) 10 (55.6%)

Survey Results
Does anyone from your team encourage you to participate on a weekly basis?
 “Yes, team captain “
 “No its mostly your choice “
 “Yeah everyone was encouraging everyone to come to the games all the
time. “
Yes No
9 (81.8%) 2 (18.2%)

Survey Results
What advice would you give to first year students who want get involved with
Intramurals?
 “Get involved as early as possible, and get to know as much about Dalhousie
and the resources it has to offer early on.”
 “Check online and ask at the Dalplex”
Positive Neither Positive nor Negative
11 (55%) 9 (45%)

Sport Representative / Team Captain
Survey Results

What is a Sport Representative/Team
Captain?
 Sport representatives act as an intermediate channel between the intramural
coordinator and students.
 Responsible for recruiting, registering, and distributing intramural information to
students in the residence or faculty they represent.
 Team captains and sport representatives both recruit students to join a team.

Survey Results
Average age of Participants M= 21.4
Housing On Campus = 50%, Off Campus = 50%
Biological Sex Male = 80%, Female = 20%
Non-International Students 8 (80%)
International Students 2 (20%)
Fields of Study - Major Business, Journalism, Earth Sciences,
Engineering, Health Promotion, Physiotherapy,
Marine Biology, Medicine, and Oceanography.
Demographics of Survey Respondents

Survey Results
How do first year students view Dalhousie Intramurals?
 “I believe that students were very uninformed about Intramurals at Dalhousie
and how they function at the beginning of the year. Currently, I think they view
them as a competitive but fun way to enjoy a sport with your friends and
escape residence for a while.”
 “I remember being pretty in the dark. Didn’t realize you had to register so
early, or how things really worked.”
 “Good way to get involved in the “community” while also keeping active”
 “Fun, Engaging, A break from studying.”
Positive Negative
6 (75%) 2 (25%)

Survey Results
(1= Very Good, 2= Good, 3= Fair, 4=
poor, 5= Very Poor).
Very Good (1) 7
Good (2) 3
Fair (3) 0
Poor (4) 0
Very Poor (5) 0
Based on your experience, how well does the Dalhousie Intramural staff
communicate with you regarding updates, changes, or general inquiries?

Survey Results
(1= Very Easy, 2= Easy, 3= Neither easy
nor difficult to use, 4=Difficult, 5= Very
Difficult)
Easy 4
Very Easy 3
Neither easy nor difficult to use 3
Difficult 0
Very Difficult 0
How easy do you find using the Dalhousie Intramurals website (athletics.dal.ca)?

Survey Results
In your opinion, what is preventing first year students living in residence from
participating in Dalhousie Intramurals?
 “I believe a lack of information is preventing them from joining in the fall, and if
students do sign up they are not aware of the commitment that they require,
resulting in forfeit”
 ”Hard to register/make teams early into September”
 “Possibly not knowing they exist?”
 “I think the biggest obstacle is the lack of awareness

Survey Results
What steps did you take to get students registered for intramurals?
 “I Facebooked several of my friends to join the team, created a group on
Facebook.”
 “I sat outside of the cafeteria for 12 hours and advertised and signed
people up that way…. In the winter term I contacted the Residence Life
Manager and he sent out an email I wrote to every student in residence with
instructions on how to sign”
 “Emails, verbal advertisement, word of mouth”

Survey Results
What additional support (resources) would you like to see in place to assist with
recruiting students and keeping them engaged throughout the semester?
 “I would love to see Dalhousie Athletics recruiting in the SUB for people to sign up
for intramurals, more promotional awareness either by print or online.”
 I think maybe if information could be sent out instructing students of their
responsibilities before they sign up they would be more committed?”
 “Posters around campus”
 “Advertisement on Instagram, Facebook, twitter etc./Encouragement from Ra’s”

Canadian Universities Survey Results

Survey Results
How are first year students living in residence informed about Intramural
offerings?
 “On-campus promotional events during week of welcome, printed program
guide, website, social media, in-person registration at residence”
 “We have the RA’s of each floor communicate with their floormates, and we
also have an initial dodgeball night for residence during orientation week.”
 “Signage, email, word of mouth, RA’s, through out service expo, society
expos. “

Survey Results
How are first year students living off campus informed about intramural
offerings?
 “They are given information in their orientation packages that are mailed
to them.”
 “Presentations during Orientation Week, website, emails, word of mouth.”
 “Signage, word of mouth, sometimes in class announcements”

Survey Results
How are first year students living in residence encouraged to register and
participate in Intramurals?
 “In-person registration at residence, participation with faculty or residence
teams in Intramurals”
 “Posters, and we have a partnership with rez, that they will recruit people
and promote our leagues. Word of mouth”
 “Sports reps and floor Proctors ( RA’s)”

Survey Results
How are students/members informed about intramural procedures (such as
fee’s, policies, and regulations)?
 Website & through registration process (IMleagues)
 “Everything is listed online, and in our brochures”
 “… We also post important links to the scheduling website (IMLeagues) on
each of the sport pages. “
 “Initial meetings, through website, in person, emails"

Survey Results
How do students register to participate in your intramural program?
 “Captain pays for their team through CLASS, creates team on IMLeagues, and
teammates join team roster on IMLeagues”
 ” Online, in person or over the phone”
 “For registration purposes we now use a program called IM Leagues. We
made that change about three years ago and have been quite happy with the
switch.”
 “Online”

Survey Results
Do residence fellows (also known as Resident Assistants) play a role in
encouraging student to participate in intramurals?
 “They really do not play too much of a role, students register more with
buddies and friends from their programs than residence council, here at
our university”
 ““Yes, we meet with them and give them information to pass along to their
students.”
 “Very much so“
Yes No
6 (60%) 4 (40%)

Survey Results
Do you have intramural leagues designed for first year students only? If so, do
you find that helps with participation?
Yes No
2 (20%) 8 (80%)

Current Marketing Approach
 Promotion to past intramural participants via email
 Promotion through Sport Representatives
 Through the Dalhousie University Website
 Limited social media in the beginning of the year
 Set up a booth at the school of Health and Human Performance orientation.

Recommendations
 Campus Promotion
 Summer Orientation Promotion
 Online Promotions & Adjustments
 IMLeagues
 Residence (Resident Assistants and Council)

Campus Promotion
Intramural registration deadline dates to be uploaded on campus screens.
Why: Increase exposure, especially to off campus students.
How: Send the content by email to CD(Graphic Designer) to make the slides. CD
& NM (Student Services Communications & Marketing) can distribute and upload
the slides.
When: A week prior to the preferred day of upload.
Recommendation
Campus Promotion
Summer
Orientation
Online PromotionIMLeagues
Residence Promotion

Campus Promotion
Posters
 Why: Increases intramural exposure, especially in residence.
 How: Contact CDto design the poster. For distribution, contact Residence Life
Manager’s, and the Communications and Outreach Manager.
 When: Early August
Recommendation
Campus Promotion
Summer
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Summer Orientation
Organize a sporting events during summer orientations
Why: To pre-expose students to Intramurals. This will also allow students to be
more familiar with it prior to orientation week. Will help to target off-campus
students.
How: Contact AM, First year Advisor.
When: End of May. Dalhousie Student Union currently starting to plan upcoming
orientation week.
Recommendation
Campus Promotion Summer
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Summer Orientation
Place Intramural promotion such as flyers in orientation packages
 Why: Increase intramural exposure to first year students living on and off
campus.
 How: Flyers are to be designed by CD– Provide one week notice. Orientation
week coordinator must be contacted for distribution of flyers.
 When: Early May
Recommendation
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Online Promotion
Include Intramural registration deadline under ”Important Dates” on the
orientation website.
Why: First year students refer to these dates prior to their arrival on campus.
The earlier they are reminded of intramural registration deadlines, the better.
How: Contact the Communications and Outreach Manager
When: She has already been contacted.
Recommendation
Campus Promotion
Summer
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Online Promotion
Include Intramurals in an article on the Dal Student Life Blog.
Why: First year students want to learn as much as possible about Dalhousie prior
to their arrival. Including intramurals in a posting such as “top 10 things to do at
Dal” would grab their attention.
How: Contact the communications coordinator and have a script ready for them
to post.
When: Anytime during the summer, preferably prior to o-week.
Recommendation
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Online Promotion
Include Intramural registration information in emails & social media sent to
freshmen during the summer.
 Why: Good way of targeting students individually.
 How: Contact the communications officer and have the script ready.
 When: At least a week prior to June 9th and August 4th.
Recommendation
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Online Promotions
 Change the location of ”Intramural Sports” on the Dal Website .
AthleticsAthletics
Recommendation
Orientation
Residence Promotion

IMLeagues
An online intramural league registration program.
 Why: It will save the Campus Recreation Office time and increase efficiency.
 How will it help?
 IMLeagues includes an automatic scheduling system.
 Ability to view participation statistics.
 Allows online registration.
 Students can create, find, and join teams online.
Recommendation
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Residence Promotion
Include Intramurals as a topic of discussion during the first mandatory
meeting ran by Resident Assistants in residence
Why: Most students attend the first meeting, thus increasing exposure of
intramurals
How: An email to be sent to the Residence Life Managers, to include intramural
information in the meeting agenda.
When: Contact the RLM early August
Recommendation
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Residence Promotion
Place more intramural information on existing residence bulletin boards
 Why: All students go to the cafeteria multiple times a day, it will therefore
increase exposure.
 How: Have a promotional material ready and contact the Residence Life
Managers
 When: Mid-August
Recommendation
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Residence Promotion
Promotion/registration table outside of the residence cafeterias
Why: Students may prefer to inquire more information about intramurals prior to
registering.
How: Intramural staff taking the lead in registering first year students in
intramurals. Hire several people to switch shifts. The tables and chairs will be
provided by residence. An email must be sent to the RLM’s a week prior to
setting up the tables.
When: During the intramural registration period. Have the tables set up everyday
at 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Recommendation
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Retention
 Popular sports should be made more available in the fall – To reduce the
number of students turned away when leagues fill up.
 Emphasize to students that they can still participate after the registration
deadline, but not as a team. This will reduce team forfeits.
 Advocate importance of team captains and Sport Representative.
 Co-Curricular Record
 Sponsorship from Adidas?
 Bookstore sponsorship

Conclusion
Recommendation
Orientation
Residence Promotion

Acknowledgements
 AH
 MK
 MC
 KW
 SL
 TT

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