Intramural and club sports at CU: Where the sub-elite meet to compete

You were a three-sport star in high school, a local legend, and now you find yourself on campus with many hundreds of athletes, many of them on scholarship, who can leave you in the dust in probably every sporting pursuit you’ve ever considered.

That doesn’t mean couch potato is your only future. At the University of Colorado, there is a long menu of intramural and club sports into which one can plunge and show off that form that dazzled everyone back home — or, at the very least, provide a good way to stay in shape and combat the consequences of too much late-night pizza and beer.

If you can’t rouse yourself to put on the kicks and break a sweat yourself, there is always the option of donning a little black and gold and getting out to support the athletes representing CU at the highest levels of NCAA varsity competition.

Whether you suit up for intramural or club sports, or are happier to enjoy athletics vicariously and sweat-free on the sidelines, sports can be a big part of the collegiate experience, and we’re happy — from the ease and comfort of our cubicle — to tell you how it can be done.

Intramural

Intramural sports provide the most casual way to take part in organized sports at CU. Teams in the intramural programs play only other CU teams; it’s always CU students against CU students, so the good news is, the Buffs always win.

The samplings include more familiar sports such as football, soccer, basketball and ice hockey; but for the less traditionally inclined, there is also ultimate frisbee, broomball and innertube water polo

Typically, registration takes place in late August, while winter sport registration usually is in the third week of January, and spring sport registration takes place in the first week of March.

Rather than each intramural team charging a fee, participants must purchase an intramural sports pass, and that gives the pass holder access to all IM leagues and tournaments for the semester. Once a you buy the sports pass, you can register or join a team.

You can visit colorado.edu/recreation/intramural-posts for official registration dates, join a team or for more information.

Additionally, if you find yourself a player or two short, the intramurals office offers the CU Intramural Free Agent Facebook group ( facebook/groups/48881459083), where you can connect with others to help complete your roster.

Club

Club sports call for a higher level of commitment, but not too much. Club teams employ part-time coaches and also schedule practices that members are asked to attend. Upping the ante, they actually take on teams from other schools across the country.

There are more than 30 club sports to choose from at CU. They include baseball lacrosse, rugby and women’s softball, but also kayaking, fly fishing and Taekwondo.

The university is well known for its competitive club programs, with the triathlon club having claimed more than a dozen titles. The club swim team also are no slouches, with at least nine national titles.

More information about club sports can be found at colorado.edu/recreation/club-sports.

Sidelines

Absent a scholarship in hand, your chances of suiting up and playing for the Buffs may be slight, but they will always be happy to have you cheering them on.

Whether it’s football at Folsom Field or basketball at the CU Events Center, and whatever the final score, CU games are usually a good time. They also offer a chance to get to know your fellow Buffs by hanging with the C-Unit, the boisterous student section, which makes a good showing at most campus sporting events.

Charlie Brennan: twitter.com/chasbrennan