Administration/Intramurals: Student Officials Get Better Grades

Dick Moss, Editor

Finding officials and volunteers is a problem when organizing a school intramural program. One of the arguments against participation as an official - especially from parents - is that the time commitment will cause the students' grades to suffer.

You can counter that argument using the results from a study at the University of Georgia. The study found that students involved as part-time employees in the school's recreational sports program achieved significantly higher grades than the average student. And this was achieved with no reduction in course load.

The Study
The study compared the grades of 330 student employees in the university's recreational sports department, with the grades from a control group consisting of 350 randomly selected students from the general student population.

The students who worked part-time in the recreational sports department were found to have significantly higher average grades, with no difference in course load.

Explanation
What are the explanations for these results? It is believed, and this is backed up by past research, that students who become more involved in their school achieve more academically because they feel a better connection to the school.

This sense of connection is developed among intramurals officials because their role provides more opportunity for interaction with students and teachers and a greater feeling of involvement with the institution.

References

1. Matthew W. Hackett," Exploring the Relationship Between Recreational Sports Employment and Academic Success" Recreational Sports Journal, 2007, 31, 69-74.

2. Louis Edgar Means, Intramurals: Their Organization And Administration,
Literary Licensing, LLC, 2012.

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