Hosting a NIRSA Championship Series event might require an investment of time and resources, but it’s also tons of fun and comes with a flood of fantastic benefits. Plus, fundraising through sponsorships, in-kind donations, and entry-fees is a great way to offset any costs. Host site applications for 2015 NIRSA Regional Flag Football Championships opened on Monday, February 2. NIRSA member institutions interested in hosting are encouraged to submit an online application.
Assistant Director of Intramural Sports at the University of Houston and NIRSA Championship Series Flag Football Chair Brian Mills says hosting a regional tournament “can be a unifying force for your department. Not only does it encourage collaboration among the professional staff, but the opportunity for students to truly show their leadership abilities is unmatched. I have personally been a host five times, and every time the enthusiasm and support of our students, supervisors, officials, facilities, etc. is amazing.”
Mike Valentine, Intramural and Club Sports Coordinator at the University of Southern Mississippi—a long-standing regional flag football host for the NIRSA Championship Series—added, “Hosting a Regional Flag Football Tournament offers a great opportunity to put your university on the map. Moreover, it offers an invaluable development opportunity for the student and professional staff. All involved learn valuable skills in event planning, operations, marketing, personnel administration, and—most importantly—teamwork.”
Hosting gives your community an economic boost and is also a chance to proudly show off your school; it brings positive attention to your institution, which attracts potential graduate assistants. After the University of Houston first hosted a regional championship, Brian saw that “students looked at volunteering for this event as a badge of honor. It brought together the different program area student staff and they talked about their experience years afterwards.”
Don’t miss out on this great chance to host a regional championship! The deadline to submit a host site application is Monday, March 2—submit one today.
For more information about hosting a 2015 NIRSA Regional Flag Football Championship, please contact NIRSA Championships Series Flag Football Work Team Chair Brian Mills or NIRSA Director of National Sport Programs Valerie McCutchan.
