Intramural activity is typically
defined as activity beyond the regular instructional program but confined
within the school. The traditional model for portraying the relationships among
instructional physical education, intramurals, and interscholastic sport is a
pyramid.
The base of the pyramid is the
instructional physical-education program, which reaches all the students. The
second tier in the pyramid is the intramural program, which provides activity
opportunities for students who are interested in extending their skills and
engaging in more competitive situations.
The top of the pyramid reaches
fewer students but is intended for those who are especially talented, providing
them more practice and competitive situations. The top of the pyramid reaches
fewer students but is intended for those who are especially talented, providing
them more practice and competitive opportunities.
In the best of all worlds,
intramurals would occupy a place of major importance in the school day. Many
students would participate. A wide variety of activities would be available.
Students could extend and refine the skills learned in the instructional
program. Students could have an important competitive experience without making
the daily commitment necessary to be on an interscholastic team. This ideal is
seldom achieved. In fact, in many schools, the intramural program is virtually
nonexistent, thus eliminating a major component in any complete
physical-education program.
Intramurals suffer from a number of
problems. Schools often do not have the resources to hire personnel to
administer and conduct these programs. Teachers, with full class loads, are
often not enthusiastic about the extra burden imposed by such an
assignment. Facilities used in the
instructional program are often taken over immediately after school by the
sports teams. Students find it difficult to go home and then to return to
school for intramurals.