ANTHONY BOURGEOIS, ARNOLD LeUNES, SHANNON BURKETT, TRACY DRAGGES-BOURGEOIS, JED FRIEND AND MICHAEL C. MEYERS a few rare cases, intramural sports was the only competitive outlet for young men that were not part of the small varsity population for al- most the entire nineteenth century (Rice, Hutchinson & Lee, 1958). An organizational structure was needed to promote and strengthen the intramural movement. It is generally recognized that intramural sports in colleges and universi- ties began with student- initiated or sponsored athletic contestsin which students participated in their leisure time. During their college years, students become involved in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. Common examples include student govern- ment, academic clubs and socialorganizations. Another extracurricular activity that is highly visible on many campuses around the country is the intramural sports program. Numerous benefits are associated with intra- mural sports participation, including intellectual and social interaction, as well as physical wellness. Conse- quently,' intramural sports programs can represent a significant element in students' lives. A. S. Whitney, a Latin professor at the University of Michigan, is credited with coining the term "intramural" in connection with the athletic competitions. The word is composed of "intra," meaning within, and "mural is," meaning wall, joining to become the name "intramural," which we know today as our non- varsity campus athletic programs. It is generally recognized that intramural sports in colleges and universities began with student- initiated or sponsored athletic contests in which students participated in their leisure time (Stewart, 1992). These contests and games preceded both the intercollegiate and the required physical education programs. But intramural activities were more or less shunted into the background when colleges accepted the idea of a varsity sports program. Except for backgrounds, interests and beliefs about the role that leisure activities play in their lives. Students engage in leisure for a variety of benefits, including personal health and fitness, social interaction, leadership skills, self-actualization, self-esteem and stress release (Haderlie, 1987). Aside from these elements, however, there are certain psychological factors, such as the competition motive that also motivate students to pursue involvement. . Literature on motives to compete in intramural sports is scarce. How- ever, Snodgrass and Tinsley (1990) proposed a study on motivation for participation in recreational sports. Their goal was to identify the partici- pants and their motivations and to determine reasons why "non-users" hesitate to become involved. Their findings indicated that men partici- pated more in team sports, sport clubs and informal recreation, whereas women participated significantly more in leisure and fitness classes. Women also sought more opportunities to relax physically and to feel self-reliant through participation. Motivation to compete was important to only 52% of the respondents, but was found to be twice as. important to men as to women. This study has proven to be one of the most informative in terms of understanding the competitive motive in intramura)s. Similar research conducted by Smith and Missler (1994) focused on motivating factors associated with sport participation. Their research used the Personal Meaning Questionnaire for Softball (PMQS) to measure five personal meaning factors: Compe- tence and Mastery, Personal/Social Enhancement, Holistic Wellness, Re- inforcers and Interference. These fac- tors assessed the personal meaning associated with sport participation. continued In the late nineteenth century a new emphasis on intramural sports began when fraternities and other student organizations on campus attempted to organize and take control of the games. College and university admin- istrators recognized that supervision of these programs was necessary to coordinate facilities, equipment and activities for student participation. The University of Michigan and The Ohio State University led the way in 1913 by appointing intramural direc- tors to administer their programs. They began by organizing the first officials programs consisting of base- ball, basketball, football, tennis and track. Even though it started with a meager beginning, the modern intra- mural movement has grown into a prominent recreational sports program in many colleges and universities (Stewart, 1992). Students participating in intramural sporting events come from different Anthony Bourgeois, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor, Arnold LeUnes, Ed.D., is a profes- sor and Shannon Burkett is an undergraduate student in the Psychology Department at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Tracy Dragges-Bourgeois, B.A., resides in Houston, Texas. Jed Friend, Ph.D., is a consultant in Tampa, Florida. Michael C. Meyers, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Health and Human Development Department at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. 44 SPRING 1995 NIRSA JOURNAL