By Brittany Rejda

The 2014 NIRSA Intramural Sports Institute was held at the Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center Hotel this past June, and it was definitely one to remember.

Eighty-three NIRSA members attended the Institute, which had a 100% satisfaction rating among post-event survey respondents!

A pre-conference facility tour of the University of Oklahoma kicked off the event. The tour was followed by an informal welcome social and dinner where Dr. Suzy Harrington, Oklahoma State University’s Chief Wellness Officer, gave the keynote address. The following two days were packed with ed sessions, roundtable discussions, an interactive professional officiating panel, a t-shirt exchange, and a networking social.

Attendees really enjoyed being able to participate in in-depth discussions around a wide variety of topics specific to intramural sports. As one 2014 attendee explained, the Institute allowed intramural sports professionals “to come together and exchange ideas on a more personal level.” The specific focus of the Institute allowed them “to discuss the issues that are pertinent” to them.

Tabitha Radwanski, Assistant Director for Recreation and Fitness at University of Houston-Clear Lake, can attest to the appeal the Institute holds for new and seasoned professionals alike: “I’m new to the field of intramurals and everyone was very welcoming. I’ve definitely made quite a few connections who I will be reaching out to in the near future.” She’s not the only attendee who was impressed with the opportunities to build their professional network that the Institute provided.

David Peters, Associate Director of Campus Recreation at Florida State University, says that the Institute was “a great opportunity for professionals to network, trade ideas, and learn best practices that will enhance the programs back on our campuses.”  And Jason Morgan, Coordinator for Intramural Sports at the University of Texas at Arlington, calls “the NIRSA Intramural Sports Institute an opportunity to see and learn how diverse our profession is.” In his words, there is considerable value in “being introduced to new and different ways of doing things[. The Institute] is a great way to develop ourselves as well as our programs.”

The Institute was just what attendees were looking for—a great opportunity for intramural professionals across North America to come together, share best practices, and continue their professional development! You can find more details about the event by taking a look at #IMnirsa on Twitter.

The NIRSA Intramural Sports Institute is a biennial event, and will be offered again in 2016; however, if your intramural work overlaps with sport clubs, you’re in luck! We’ll be holding the NIRSA Collegiate Sport Club Institute in June 2015!