Intramurals are known as a great way to exercise, socialize with friends and compete against fellow Tigers on campus. Whether it be basketball, soccer, flag football or volleyball, a ton of planning goes into the facilitation of all of the leagues. Different sports require different equipment and different setups, but one thing remains constant:
Each sport requires a referee.
Referees are crucial to intramurals — they’re needed to enforce the rules of the game, track the score and keep players safe. Without referees, intramural sports wouldn’t exist. But — how do these referees come about?
Anyone can apply to be an IM referee. Throughout the semester, the intramural department offers several referee training dates, in which students can come out and learn how to be a referee for specific IM sports. During these training sessions, supervisors and program assistants teach students how to officiate certain sports. If students enjoy officiating, they can apply to be an intramural supervisor. The form to apply can be found on the intramurals page of the Trinity website.
Maggi Linker, a sophomore psychology major, started IM reffing last semester.
“I had a bunch of friends who recommended it to me. I love sports, so the opportunity to be around them more was very exciting,” Linker said.
Linker plays on the volleyball team, so she’s an expert when it comes to volleyball rules. In addition, training has allowed her to oficiate other sports, such as dodgeball.
Alex Cotner, a junior business administration major, has been reffing for a full year. Cotner has moved up the ladder and is now an intramural supervisor.
“My favorite part of reffing is that it doesn’t even feel like a job. It’s fun to watch so many different groups and teams come together to play different games,” Cotner said.
Linker agrees. “My favorite part is getting to know everyone who plays the games. They are always super excited about their game and are really fun people to get to know,” Linker said.
Many of the students that ref also participate in other IM sports. Cotner plays indoor volleyball, sand volleyball and dodgeball.
Kristen Harrison, the Associate Athletic Director for Recreation and Sports Camp, is in charge of the entire intramurals department. From training the referees to planning the schedules, Harrison keeps track of everything IM. Trinity students think very highly of Harrison.
“I love how much our boss loves her job. She makes IM sports fun and keeps things modern. She keeps up with everything and is organized, which really shows when we are reffing,” Cotner said.
Claire Munro, a junior communication and Spanish major, is going into her second year of being a referee. Munro has reffed most of the sports but considers sand volleyball her favorite.
“Sand volleyball was the first sport I reffed and it’s still my favorite,” Munro said.
With each game they officiate, the referees acquire favorite moments and memories. Linker recalls a dodgeball game that took place during midterms last semester. One team came back and won after being down 0-2.
“The team celebrated like they just won the Super Bowl and I think we all needed a bit of that excitement around that time of the semester,” Linker said.
If you’re interested in learning more about officiating or the intramural department, email Kristen Harrison at [email protected]. Leagues for basketball, soccer, flag football and sand volleyball are still open for registration.
