Top 7 Reasons to Participate in Campus Recreation

As you journey through the college search process, the opportunity to get involved in campus recreation should be on your list of must-haves. Wondering what’s so important about campus recreation? Let us lay it out for you. 

Campus recreation helps to make physical activity a priority 

Finding time to stay active while in college can be difficult. Between going to class, studying for exams, maintaining a social life, and other outside obligations, getting those all-important 30 minutes a day can be hard. Campus recreation is the perfect way to find dedicated time to staying active. By joining an intramural team or signing up for a weekly fitness class, you’re making physical activity a priority and a habit. (How could you possibly skip your Monday night Zumba class?) By having that dedicated time built into your schedule, you won’t find yourself using the excuse of not having enough time to make your health and fitness a key part of your life. 

It’s a great opportunity to make friends

Joining an intramural team, participating in a fitness class, or trying your hand at our rock wall is a great way to meet other students around campus. And while making friends is great, having those people around you to help hold you accountable for keeping up with your health is even better. To put it into simpler terms: making friends + keeping up with your health = a win-win scenario! 

Physical activity reduces stress

Did you know that being active can boost endorphins and act as a stress reliever? While many people associate this effect with the term “runner’s high,” running isn’t required! (You can breathe a sigh of relief now.) Your body experiences this same effect whether you run 5 miles or participate in a 30-minute yoga class. Taking this time is your chance to forget about everything else going on in your life and focus on yourself and your well-being. 

You get the chance to compete 

For some high school athletes, playing at the varsity level might not be possible, and we know it can be hard to give up that spirit of competition. At York College, students have the opportunity to participate in real competition without playing on a varsity team. Our club and intramural teams provide students with various levels of intensity. Looking to take your skills on the road and compete against other schools? Our women’s club rugby team participates in regional and national tournaments each year. Want to keep the competition on campus? We’ve heard the Knockerball league is pretty fun! 

State-of-the-art facilities 

Have you seen our Grumbacher Sport and Fitness Center? Schedule an on-campus visit to get an inside look at our 170,000-square-foot facility. We promise, you’ll love it as much as we do. 

The Grumbacher is not only home to York College’s 24 NCAA varsity athletic teams, but it also serves as the hub of recreational life for the entire student body. With over 1,000 entry swipes a day, our Fitness Center is a go-to spot for students looking to work out or participate in group activities. The facility is also home to more than 100 pieces of state-of-the-art exercise equipment, the 33-foot tall Rock Climbing Wall, and M&T Bank Field House, featuring 15 various playing areas and an indoor track. 

We could go on and on about our indoor pool, racquetball courts, and weekly fitness classes—but we’ll let you see for yourself when you pay us that visit! 

The amazing staff

At York College, we have an elite staff coordinating all of our campus recreation activities. Our fitness and wellness professionals are not only dedicated to putting together countless involvement opportunities for students of all athletic calibers, but they’re also continuously working to further their expertise to make our recreation programs accessible and beneficial for everyone. 

Leading this initiative is Rachael Finley, Director of Campus Recreation. We’re not exaggerating when we say Rachael is making an impact on campus recreation on a national level. As an active member of the National Intramural and Recreation Sports Association (NIRSA), Rachael has served on the organization’s Diversity and Equity Committee, as well as the Board of Directors. But wait, there’s more! Most recently, Rachael was selected to serve as a content reviewer for a new certification in development by the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals (NASPA). With a portion of the certification exam focusing on recreation programming on college campuses, Rachael’s expertise and knowledge were requested to review and determine which test questions should be included in the certification exam. 

We already know you’re thinking that Rachael sounds pretty cool. Spoiler: She IS really cool.

With the help of Jamie Starrett, Assistant Director of Campus Recreation, the team is  continuously creating and scheduling new recreation programs for all students. 

Just because it’s fun

Need we say more? 

At YCP, we strive to provide programming for students looking to continue their fitness journey and students who are just beginning. If you’re ever taking a walk through the Grumbacher and run into Rachael, you’ll quickly learn that she believes campus recreation is for “every body.” That’s a motto we stand by when creating new programs and maintaining programs already developed. 

Be sure to take advantage of our upcoming visit opportunities to check out the Grumbacher Sport and Fitness Center for yourself! Trust us, you won’t regret it.