Please review the following intramural sports rules and standard operating procedures (SOP).
Organization of Competition
- A Division: Highest level of competition. Typically players have played in high school or have a high level of skill.
- B Division: Intermediate level of competition. Typically players have some experience in the sport.
- C Division: Lower level of competition. Typically players have little to no experience and are looking to have fun.
- Just for Fun Division: A non-competitive league for players looking to have fun and learn the sport. Typically players have little or no experience.
- Unified: Participants will partner with Special Olympics athletes to compete in a fun and competitive game.
Eligibility Rules
Participants are responsible for verifying their own eligibility. Likewise, team captains are responsible for the eligibility of their team members.
Visit our Campus Recreation Inclusion Resources page for more information on the universities transgender student-athlete participation statement.
- Who Can Participate?
- Full-time undergraduate and graduate students
- Full-time faculty/staff members
- Graduate or part-time students who are paying full-time student fee
- Who Cannot Participate?
- Continuing education students
- Part-time faculty / staff members
- Alumni
- Former students that have not graduated from the university.
- A student who is on the roster for any UMass Lowell varsity athletic team may not play in the corresponding intramural sport in which they play for UMass Lowell
Please Note: All participants must present a valid UMass Lowell ID prior to participation in any intramural contest. Participants without an ID will not be allowed to play.
Eligible individuals must follow all Campus Recreation Participation Rules:
- All participants must be listed on the IMLeagues team roster before participating in a game
- Teams may add players to their rosters up to the last regular season game. After the final game, no additional roster additions will be accepted.
- If a player from one team plays for another team in that same sport, it would cause the second team to forfeit the contest.
- An individual may only participate on one team per sport.
- Once a player has played for a team, they may not transfer to another team.
- Any player signed in on a game score sheet will be considered to have played.
- Any participant playing under an assumed name will be ineligible to participate for the remainder of that sports season and will be referred to the Assistant Director of Intramural Sports.
- All Club Sport athletes must play in A Division for their corresponding sport. In addition, each team is only allowed 2 Club Sport athletes.
- League teams must pay a mandatory $10 payment to be paid online through the provided links post-registration.
- Any person who is a member of a UMass Lowell varsity team shall not be able to participate in the intramural competition in that sport or corresponding sports.
- Any person who has earned an athletic letter from an institution that gives college credit shall not participate in that sport or corresponding sports for one calendar year.
- Any person who has quit or is cut from a varsity team after the season's second contest shall be ineligible to participate in that sport or corresponding sports for the remainder of the academic year.
- Any person who has competed as a professional in a sport shall not be eligible to participate in that sport or corresponding sports.
Penalties for Using Ineligible Players
- The team shall forfeit the contest in which the ineligible player participated.
- Players participating illegally may be referred to the Assistant Director of Intramural Sports.
Please Note: The Office of Campus Recreation reserves the right to put into effect any rule changes or modifications regarding eligibility, but in doing so will attempt to notify participants through team captains.
Captains
Each team or individual entering an intramural activity must have a captain. The captain's responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Attending or sending a representative to all captain's meetings.
- Notifying team members of playing schedules/schedule changes.
- Representing the team in the case of protests.
- Promoting fair play and a positive atmosphere at contests.
- Responsible for their players conduct before, during, and after each intramural contest. Similarly, they are responsible for the conduct of their team's fans as well.
Forfeits
A forfeit shall be declared if a team is not present and ready to play 10 minutes after their scheduled starting time of a contest.
- In order to claim a forfeit, the opposing team must have the minimum number of players present and ready to play.
- Forfeits due to ineligible players and/or unsportsmanlike conduct may involve additional penalties.
- Members of a team that have forfeited out of a sport are not eligible to participate for another team in that league.
- Any team/individual that forfeits an intramural contest, regardless of the circumstances, may be ineligible to participate in playoffs.
- Any team/individual that forfeits two contests will be dropped from further league play.
- Teams that forfeit out of a sport will not receive IM Cup points and will have 50 points deducted from their point total.
- The Office of Intramurals reserves the right not to allow teams that continue to forfeit out of leagues to register for additional leagues unless approved by the Assistant Director of Intramural Sports.
Postponements and Rescheduling
Postponements due to weather/field conditions will be decided by the Office of Campus Recreation. Information pertaining to weather related postponements will be available by calling the Assistant Director of Intramural Sports at 978-934-2343. When possible, postponed games will be rescheduled. Rescheduling contests for other reasons is rarely possible and consent is required from the Office of Campus Recreation and all teams involved.
Sportsmanship
"Excellence is not a singular act but a habit. You are what you do repeatedly." (Shaquille O'Neal)
Integral to the philosophy of the Office of Campus Recreation is that good sportsmanship and fair play are vital aspects of intramural competition. It is the responsibility of the team captain and team members to control the conduct of all team members and fans. It is necessary for the successful operation of the program that individuals display proper conduct in all instances.
- In order to ensure proper conduct before, during and after contests, officials, supervisors and administrative personnel shall make decisions as whether to warn, penalize or eject players/teams for unsportsmanlike behavior.
- Any player, coach, team captain or fan ejected from an intramural contest must leave the playing area (fields, courts, etc.) immediately. Failure to leave the area may result in forfeiture of the game.
- Players ejected from an intramural contest will be subject to the following procedure:
- The player(s) will automatically be suspended from the next scheduled contest. The player(s) will be responsible for establishing a meeting with the Assistant Director of Intramural Sports concerning the situation, and will be unable to compete in further competition until they do so.
- After the meeting, the Assistant Director will determine if there is a need for further action. Each case will be heard separately and sanctions will be determined to suit the best interest of the Intramural Sports program.
- All members listed on the score sheet who are removed from league play are suspended indefinitely pending a team representative meeting with the Assistant Director of Intramural Sports
- The following may be considered unsportsmanlike conduct:
- Profanity
- Striking an opponent
- Arguing with an official/supervisor
- Derogatory comments directed towards opponents, fans, officials or supervisors
- Fighting
- Unnecessary delay of game
- Sideline's misbehavior by the participant and/or fans
- Multiple technical or unsportsmanlike fouls or penalties assessed against a single team or individual
- Individuals/teams played after the consumption of alcohol/drugs
- Damage to or destruction of any Campus Recreation facilities or equipment
Sportsmanship Rating
Each team will be rated by the Intramural Sports Staff on its Sportsmanship each game. All teams must average a 3.5 or higher sportsmanship rating to qualify for the playoffs. The following rating chart will determine a teams sportsmanship score.
- 0 = Forfeit or Ejection
- 1 = Major Penalty/Infraction
- 2 = Misconduct
- 3 = Team shows up and has average sportsmanship, or call in forfeit (which must be made at least 24 hours in advance of contest)
- 4 = Satisfactory Sportsmanship
- 5 = Outstanding Sportsmanship
Note: When playoffs begin each team will start with a perfect 5.0 rating. Each team must maintain at least a 3.0 average rating or higher during the playoffs to be able to continue to participate in the playoffs.
Clothing & Equipment SOP
- Participants must remove all jewelry prior to competing.
- No leg or knee braces of hard, unyielding material is allowed.
- Non-marking sneakers are required for indoor sports and sneakers and rubber molded cleats are allowed for outdoor sports. No metal or screw-in cleats are allowed.
- No jeans are allowed. Pants or shorts that have belt loops will not be allowed.
- Baseball hats are not allowed during intramural competition, except for softball. You may wear sweatbands, bandanas, headbands or winter hats (outside).
For additional information, email: Marcus_cole@uml.edu or call Marcus at 978-934-2343.
