Start the New Year off Active!

Getting involved may be one of the most important aspects of your child’s college life. What a better time to do so than the beginning of their Spring semester? There are dozens of groups and clubs to join. Ole Miss also offers several ways for students to participate in sports –and not just the ones organized by the university. Ole Miss Campus Recreation offers intramural sports and sport clubs. Both of these are great ways for students to get involved and stay active. Even though they may sound the same, these are two very different things.

Intramural sports are a fun way to play whatever sport you’re interested in, with a group of people (men, women, or co-ed). Through intramural sports, students play against others within the university. Intramural sports are lots of fun and there is somestiff competition, as well. Ole Miss offers the following Intramural sports:

* Volleyball

* Softball

* Basketball

* Tennis

* Bowling

* Sand volleyball

* Spikeball

* Football

* Soccer

* Battleship

* Video games

Ole Miss also offers sport clubs. These organizations are managed by students, not the university. Club sports allow students to play at a collegiate level, in the sport of their choosing, against other colleges and universities. Clubs travel to other schools and compete in national tournaments. Clubs collect dues from each participating member to help ensure the financial stability of the club –they are not funded by the university. Most clubs have traveled far for tournaments and it is a great way to go see and experience new things. Sport clubs offered at Ole Miss are:

* Volleyball

* Rugby

* Lacrosse

* Soccer

* Baseball

* Tennis

* Ultimate frisbee

* Equestrian

* Basketball

* Weightlifting

Joining a club offers and opportunity for leadership and responsibility as well as physical activity. I am an advocate for the sport clubs and believe that everyone should give it a try. This is probably because I am the president and founder of the Ole Miss Men’s Club Volleyball team here. I never thought that I could fall in love with a club and a sport as I have done. This club has given me the opportunity to build numerous friendships that I will cherish for the rest of my life. As president of a club sport, I have had to take a major leadership role in running this organization and keeping it successful. Joining something bigger than yourself teaches you responsibility, respect and pride. We represent not only our club, but Ole Miss–in Oxford and everywhere we travel for games. Regardless of what sport your student is interested in, there is a place at Ole Miss. If a sport isn’t represented, there is always room for another club. The staff at Ole Miss Campus Recreation is there to help start and run new teams and clubs. Tell your student to get involved today –they won’t regret it!