Intramurals are in the name of fun

You're caught up in the rhythm of the game. The score is tight. The stakes seem high.\nYour world extends to the neatly painted lines that surround you. Every action has a consequence in this confined space.\nSuddenly, a figure dressed in black and white blows his whistle. You don't like what he's saying. You can't see beyond the painted lines, and you feel a rush of emotion. How are you going to react?\nThis scenario has played itself out countless times on the intramural fields north of campus and on the courts of the HPER and SRSC as part of the friendly competition that is intramural sports. Most of the approximately 22,000 students that play intramural sports each year shrug it off, keep playing and save their complaints for the post-game meal. But what about the few that can't let it be? The few that feel the rush of emotion and let it determine their words and actions?\nI won't go into too much detail, but let's just say there's paperwork involved.\nLast year, the IU Division of Recreational Sports documented 49 incidents of unsportsmanlike conduct during intramural play, said Shauna Robbins, the assistant director of intramural sports and student development. Most of the incidents were categorized under verbal abuse toward referees or opponents and occurred during flag football and basketball games, two of the more fast-paced and physical sports offered by Rec Sports. That's 49 times a participant harassed another person to the point that they felt compelled to write it down. And for what? Intramural glory?\nObviously, students participate in intramural sports for than just the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. They're a great way to strengthen bonds with friends, get some exercise and temporarily forget about that truckload of homework waiting to jump you after the game. But the ultra-competitive students among us need to cut out the trash talk and recognize that nobody beyond their teammates cares about whether the quarterback crossed the line of scrimmage before he passed the ball.\nIncidents of unsportsmanlike conduct in intramural sports have actually decreased over the last five years by about 50 percent. said Satoshi Kido the assistant director for intramural sports. Kido attributes this to the captains' meetings held before the flag football and basketball seasons begin. A representative from each team must attend the meeting in order for their team to be eligible for the playoffs.\nAt the meeting, Kido emphasizes that acting out during intramurals will be treated the same as acting out anywhere else on campus. Students who can't control themselves might even be referred to the IU Office of Student Ethics, Kido said.\nThe fact that these incidents are in decline does not justify their occurrence. We are all playing in the name of fun, right?\nThe most common target of players' wrath is the referee. Participants should realize that they're novices just like everyone else on the field or court.\n"They're not perfect," Kido said. "But look at professional and collegiate referees; they make mistakes too." \nIU offers one of the most comprehensive intramural programs in the country, according to the Rec Sports Web site, presenting a smorgasbord of activities for varying skill levels. If you can't find an activity that you enjoy, well, you just don't like sports. The program is by and for the students. Students are even allowed to suggest rule changes (please, extend intramural tennis matches to full sets). \nBut all these positives can be tainted by unsportsmanlike behavior incidents.\nAs of Sept. 26, no incident reports had been filed for this semester. But with the flag football playoffs fast approaching, the scores will be tight and the stakes will seem high.\nHow are you going to react?