Creating connections on campus: Intramurals open new playing fields

You may have heard that 11 Collin College basketball and tennis players were recently named to the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference All-Academic Team. But what you may not know is that you don’t have to be an athlete to enjoy sports at Collin College – you just need to participate in intramurals.

“Most of my friends did not know how to play soccer, so we signed up for the intramural soccer league for fun,” said Dozie Domorji, a Wylie resident who plans to earn an associate degree at Collin College and transfer to The University of Texas at Dallas to earn a bachelor’s in information technology.

“It made my friend group closer, gave me more energy, and it takes care of cardio for the day. Two online students joined the league, and now I am friends with them, too,” he added.

Not all intramural opportunities at Collin College are offered on a traditional playing field. Esport tournaments provide students other ways to connect. Domorji said he and many of his friends cannot play video games online at home because they do not have the same games or consoles, but they have played FIFA, Madden, NBA 2K23, and Call of Duty on campus. Domorji even noticed that esports positively affected his test scores.

“I did not get the grade I wanted on my first history test,” he said. “Before my second test, we talked it out over video games. That helped to reduce the stress, and the players even helped me study. When I took the next test, I received a higher grade than I was aiming for.”

According to Phillip Mitchell, manager of fitness labs, the most popular intramural events at the Wylie Campus are outdoor soccer, powerlifting contests, and combined events with Student Engagement Services like opening day baseball where students watch the Rangers baseball game on TV, play wiffleball outside, and enjoy snacks like corndogs, crackerjacks, and sunflower seeds.

“I am excited that the college has a variety of intramural sports because not many community colleges offer out-of-the-box activities for students,” Mitchell said. “We develop new ideas every semester.”

Wylie resident Jess Olivares said she loves the intramural events with people laughing and having fun. She plans to earn an associate degree from Collin College this spring, take prerequisites and apply to the college’s nursing program, and possibly earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the college in the future.

“You can free your mind, be competitive, and experience teamwork,” said Olivares, who recently served as the scorekeeper for the intramural soccer league. “We have people who are just starting to play soccer, and you still see them scoring goals. It’s a judge-free zone and a great opportunity to not only test your limits but to meet people, make some good memories, and make more friends on campus.”

To find out more about Wylie Campus intramurals, email Mitchell at pmitchell@collin.edu.

 

To learn more about Collin College’s athletics, visit https://athletics.collin.edu/landing/index.

To apply or register for classes at the Wylie Campus, visit www.collin.edu/campuses/wylie.

Photo by Nick Young, Collin College photographer.

Reprinted with permission from Wylie “The Connection” magazine.