Guiding Principles to Intramurals

Quality intramurals are focused on ensuring every student has the opportunity to experience the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical benefits from participating in, contributing to, and/or leading intramural activities at school.

The Guiding Principles to Intramurals provide a foundation to review, reflect on, and re-imagine an intramural program that recognizes equity-centred practices and promotes a sense of belonging for every student.

These Guiding Principles were created through an extensive consultation process with educators, students, and interest holders, and with the input of a consulting panel with experts in education, intramurals, gender and sexual diversity, racial diversity, and accessibility and inclusion.

Access the Support Tools for a printable poster of the Guiding Principles to Intramurals!

Guiding Principle 1: Quality intramural programs are student-centred. Bullet 1: Contribute to each student’s unique physical literacy journey. Bullet 2: Offer opportunities for student voice/choice. Bullet 3: Engage students throughout the process. Guiding Principle 2: Quality intramural programs offer a variety of opportunities. Bullet 1: Offer activities based on diversity of student input. Bullet 2: Offer activities at various times and in different settings, where possible. Bullet 3: Use a range of approaches (e.g., structured schedules, drop-in), groupings (e.g., individual, small group, and teams) and focus (e.g., competitive, non-competitive, cooperative). Guiding Principle 3: Quality intramural programs encourage meaningful connections. Bullet 1: Promote opportunities for personal growth and connections with one’s self. Bullet 2: Encourage social and emotional connections with peers. Bullet 3: Promote connections to opportunities available within the school and broader community. Guiding Principle 4: Quality intramural programs are inclusive of every student. Bullet 1: Promote opportunities to build a sense of belonging. Bullet 2: Create multiple entry points for student involvement/participation. Bullet 3: Offer equitable opportunities for engagement and leadership for every student, including students who are underrepresented. Guiding Principle 5: Quality intramural programs encourage collaborative leadership. Bullet 1: Offer a variety of opportunities for student leadership. Bullet 2: Encourage shared leadership and mentorship among school staff. Bullet 3: Encourage collaboration between school and community partners. Guiding Principle 6: Quality intramural programs are physically and emotionally safe. Bullet 1: Use the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education as the minimum standard for safety. Bullet 2: Promote emotionally and physically safer environments for participation. Bullet 3: Offer a range of challenges, with appropriate levels of support.