The Intramural Handbook
Intramural Rules and Regulations
- Participant Eligibility and Exceptions
- Misconduct Point System
- Injury and Liability Waivers
- Player/Coach/Spectator Conduct
- Dishonesty
- Penalties for Violations of University Policies
- Ejections
- Crowd Behavior Guidelines
- Forfeits
- Inclement Weather Procedures
- Intramural Play-Off Eligibility for Teams and Participants
1. Participant Eligibility and Exceptions
Individual Eligibility and Student Identification
Any male or female student currently enrolled in the university is eligible to participate. Faculty and staff members of the UNT community are also eligible to participate. Non-summer school students must pay a summer membership fee in order to be eligible to play in any summer intramural programs. Students participating in intramural activities must carry their current student I.D. cards with them for proof of eligibility, equipment check-out, and to enter the complex.
Team Eligibility and Team Responsibility
An individual may participate for only ONE team per activity (i.e. one co-rec and one women's/men's team) and his/her first official participation (not practice game) attaches him/her to that group for that activity. An individual may participate for the same team in each activity for the entire year or may participate for different groups in different activities. A team may pick up players as long as they are not on or have not previously participated with any other team in that activity. To be eligible for playoffs, a player must have played in one-half (less the fraction in odd number game schedules) of the team's regular season games. Care must be taken to list all players by full names on the game score sheets as all eligibility, including playoffs, will be determined on this basis. All team managers/coaches are responsible for the complete eligibility of all team participants. Each participant is also responsible for verifying his or her own complete eligibility.
Intramural Eligibility Exceptions
Eligibility of Varsity and freshman Athletes: Students who are not receiving any assistance by way of athletic scholarships shall be eligible for all intramural sports except:
- Incoming transfer students who have obtained a varsity letter or participated on a varsity team from the school they have left. If they have participated in a varsity sport they will not be eligible for participation in that sport until the next academic year.
- Anyone who receives an athletic scholarship at any time during residence will not be eligible for intramural participation in the sport or sports for which he/she was given a scholarship for one year following the year in which the scholarship was received.
Students who are receiving assistance shall be eligible for all intramurals sports except that:
- They shall be ineligible for the sport and/or related sport in which the assistance was given.
- They shall be ineligible in the sport and/or related sport in which they are currently participating.
Intercollegiate and Sports Clubs Participants
- Students who have participated this year or are currently on an intercollegiate or sports club team from any 4-year or 2-year institution are NOT eligible for intramural participation in that sport or its related intramural sport during the same academic year. A student who has been an intercollegiate or Sport Club participant in a previous year is eligible for intramural participation in that sport or related intramural sports one calendar year following the end of the semester of his/her season as an intercollegiate or sports club participant.
- Intercollegiate participation is determined by a representative from the Athletic Department (i.e., varsity coach, Compliance Officer). Sport club participation is determined by the Assistant Director, Sport Clubs and/or rosters.
- Any person who is dropped or has retired from an intercollegiate or sports club team other than for reasons of being red-shirted or scholastic ineligibility may become eligible for intramural competition only by petitioning the Assistant Director of Intramurals.
- Any student who has completed in a sport as a professional is ineligible for that sport or its related sport in intramural competition for five years following the completion of the professional career.
2. Misconduct Point System
The Misconduct Point System has been implemented to minimize the occurrence of undesirable behavior by participants, spectators and team coaches/managers. The general premise of the Misconduct Point System is outlined below. All offenses are accumulated and assessed to both the individual and their team. Individual and team points are accumulated for the entire academic year. The following point totals will result in specific sanctions or suspensions listed below. All intramural activities are governed by the Misconduct Point System. Once an individual or team accumulates points throughout the year the following sanctions will be assessed:
- Probation which may be for an individual, or team/organization.
- One game suspension.
- Season suspension which includes all playoff games.
- Semester Program Suspension includes all intramural activities for the semester.
- Annual Program Suspension includes all intramural activities for the remainder of the academic year.
- Referral to the Dean of Students Office for further investigation.
Participants are responsible for their actions during tournaments and games. The following schedule of point values will be assessed for all participants through the POINT SYSTEM. All points assessed are accumulated throughout each academic year. All participants will be sanctioned accordingly:
| Individual Offenses | Points/Suspensions |
|---|---|
| Technical/Unsportsman-like (Yellow card) | 1 point |
| Ejection/Unsportsman-like conduct (Red card) | 3 points/game suspension |
| Individual Accumulations | Points/Suspensions |
|---|---|
| 5 points/season | Season suspension |
| 8 points/semester | Semester suspension |
| 12 points/year | Suspension for remainder of year |
| Team and Organization Accumulations | Points/Suspensions |
|---|---|
| 8 points/season | Season suspension |
| 12 points/semester | Semester suspension |
| 15 points/year | Suspension for remainder of year |
3. Injury and Liability Waivers
Each year, all individuals must have a signed liability waiver form in the office prior to any participation. Students who are age 17 and under must have a liability release form signed by their parents or legal guardian. Playing without a proper liability waiver on file may result in forfeiture of game(s), loss of fee(s), and the individual's removal from further participation. All participants are personally responsible for any medical approval necessary for their participation in a particular activity. The Recreational Sports office is not responsible for any payment of medical fees.
Participants are personally responsible for medical approval for activities in which they participate. UNT, its employees, and others who are assisting with the conduct and administration of the programs assume no responsibility for any damages or personal injuries participants or spectators may receive. ALL participants and team captains MUST sign a liability waiver form before participating in any event.
4. Player/Coach/Spectator Conduct
- Any person who violates conduct rules (i.e., verbal/physical abuse) outlined for each sport either before, during or after the game may be disqualified from the game or subsequent game(s). Two such disqualifications will automatically suspend that person for the remainder of the season or further action.
- Any acts of physical abuse in a contest may result in suspension for the remainder of the season and up to a maximum of one year and possible action by the Dean of Students Office.
- Striking or physically abusing an official or Recreational Sports staff member will carry suspension from all further intramural activities for at least that year. Such actions will be referred to the Dean of Students Office.
- Teams will be responsible for actions of spectators and/or any one else associated with their team, including actions of harassment, abuse or interference with players, officials, scorers and supervisors.
Each sport carries additional conduct rules specific to the sport. The team manager captain or coach is responsible for informing players of specific rules.
5. Dishonesty
Any individual who is found guilty of dishonesty may be disqualified from all intramurals for the balance of his or her university career or any part thereof. If the individual's team is party to his or her dishonesty, the team may also be disqualified from participating in intramurals for the rest of the year or any part thereof. Infractions under this category include playing under an assumed name, playing on more than one team or misrepresenting a score.
6. Penalties for Violations of University Policies
UNT students, employees, and organizations utilizing Recreational Sports programs, facilities, and equipment and/or representing UNT and Recreational Sports are expected to follow all university policies and regulations that are published and readily available. This includes, but is not limited to those policies and regulations found in the University Policy Manual, the Faculty Handbook and the Student Guidebook.
Violations of such policies and regulations may be addressed by the Recreational Sports staff and/or may be referred to other applicable personnel, including, but not limited to the Dean of Students Office, academic departments, Human Resources and/or appropriate legal authorities.
7. Ejections
If any participant is ejected or removed from a contest or tournament for unsportsmanlike conduct, they are automatically suspended from all further intramural activities until they meet with the Graduate Assistant assigned to that sport or tournament. A minimum suspension of one game and/or misconduct points in that activity may be assessed. Click here for a detailed description of the misconduct point system.
8. Crowd Behavior Guidelines
Teams are responsible for the conduct of their spectators during Intramural contests. The following guidelines are provided to the Intramural staff to follow when dealing with unruly spectators and/or crowds watching any intramural contest. These guidelines will provide an effective way for the Intramural staff to deal with all intramural spectators.
- Both game officials and supervisors shall conduct a pre-game conference with each team captain or representative. The game officials will explain all ground rules such as legal and illegal equipment and specific game rules for each sport. The site supervisor will also inform each representative that they are there to assist the game officials and teams when questions arise. The site supervisor should also remind the team representative of the team's responsibility for crowd behavior and that the game may be suspended for crowd control.
- When the site supervisor realizes that the unruly spectators are becoming a problem, the supervisor will contact the offenders and ask that they comply with Recreational Sports and/or University policy.
- When the site supervisor realizes that one of the following situations has occurred or the previous request has been ignored, the team captain or representative will be notified to instruct their spectators to comply with Recreational Sports and/or University policies for conduct:
- In the Physical Education Building, unruly team spectators leaning on the railing provided in the balcony viewing sections. Leaning on the railing is dangerous, because the railing is not strong enough to withstand adults leaning against it.
- Abusive language directed at game officials or opponents and other spectators in an inappropriate manner at any game site.
- Unauthorized pets at any game site.
- Failure to remain in designated spectator boxes or areas (sport specific).
- Any violations of the UNT Student Code of Conduct (which includes possession of alcoholic beverages and controlled substances, etc.)
- In the event that a team's spectators fail to comply with the continued verbal warnings, the following procedures may be implemented. The team representative(s) must be responsible for their spectators. The following options may be followed:
- Suspension of the game until warning(s) are followed appropriately.
- If the above suspension has not brought results, the game is ended and the team and spectators will be asked to leave the game site. The outcome of the game will be decided later by the Recreational Sports staff.
- As a last resort when all other efforts have failed, the UNT Police would be called to assist with control. the following information shall be given. The incident will then be reported to the Dean of Students Office.
9. Forfeits
Games will start at the officially scheduled starting time. A forfeit will be declared if a team or individual is not eligible or ready to play at the originally scheduled time. Ready to Play means that a team must be on the playing area with at least the minimum number of men and/or women to constitute a regulation team. In all sports, GAME TIME is THE FORFEIT TIME, so managers should be familiar with the rules and plan to arrive AT LEAST 10 minutes prior to the game time.
The Intramural Supervisor's watch is the Official Forfeit Time. All forfeits result in a forfeit fee that must be paid prior to the next scheduled game. The forfeit fee is the replacement costs for game officials. Payment of the forfeit fee allows the team to continue its intramural participation in playoffs and other activities. If a team then forfeits a second time, the team will be dropped from the league. Forfeit Fee Schedule is available in the Recreational Sports Office.
10. Inclement Weather Procedures
In case of inclement weather, outdoor games may be cancelled by the Recreational Sports staff. Information regarding cancellation of games on weekdays will be available after 2 p.m. on the day of the event. For information regarding weekend activity, stop by the game/tournament site for posted information, or call the Recreational Sports Office at 565-2275. It is the responsibility of the team manager to find out when postponed activities or games have been rescheduled. All rescheduled game information will be posted on the Intramural bulletin boards on the 1st floor of the PEB during the next working day following the games.
11. Intramural Play-Off Eligibility for Teams and Participants
Eligible Teams
In most team sport competitions, playoffs will be held to determine an All-University Champion. Generally the top two teams from each league within a division will advance to a single elimination tournament. The Intramural staff will determine playoff structure based on the number of entries, availability of facilities and the time allotted for the activity. Playoff information will be posted under general information on the bottom of the schedules and/or posted on the intramural bulletin boards in the PEB and/or the Pohl Recreation Center. A playoff meeting will be held for managers after the last week of regular season play. Playoff schedules will be distributed at that time. In case of a tie for first place all teams involved will advance to the playoffs. For the purpose of seeding in a two way tie, the head to head record of the teams involved will be used as the first tiebreaker. If the teams remain tied, point differential will be used to determine the higher seed. If the tie still has not been broken, a random draw will determine the higher seed. No second place team will advance in this case. In the case of a tie for second, all of the tied teams will advance as second seeds in the playoffs. In the case of a three way tie, all teams involved in the tie will advance to the playoffs. A comparison of the records of all of the teams involved in the tie is then made and the team with the best record (head to head) will be seeded highest and so forth. If the teams remained tied, point differential will determine the highest seed. If this method is unsuccessful in breaking the tie, a random draw will be utilized.
Eligible Players for Playoff Games
A player must participate in at least 1of the games scheduled to be eligible for the playoffs. Eligibility is taken from the sport's score sheets and then transferred to the team's eligibility form.