School-Based Intramurals and Youth Sport Programs by SHAPEAmerica

School-Based Intramurals and Youth Sport Programs

Position

SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators recommends that all schools offer before- and after-school physical activity programs that include sports programs (intramural and/or and interscholastic) as part of their Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP).

Purpose

This position statement provides essential information to plan and implement high-quality before- and after-school physical activity programs that include intramural and extracurricular sports. The information provided in this document integrates physical activity and sports programs into the school’s Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) (SHAPE America, 2023).

Physical activity and intramural/extracurricular programs can provide mental, social and physical benefits, as well as a sense of connection and community. The key elements to a quality program are that it is student-centered, inclusive and provides fun opportunities for all schoolaged children and adolescents.

Rationale

While the SHAPE America position statement Access to Physical Activity Opportunities Before and After the School Day advocates for increasing physical activity outside of school hours, it does not specifically address youth sport a crucial area within the broader scope of physical activity whether through school-based programs, club sports or recreational opportunities.

Sport is a vehicle that engages youth in physical activity from an early age. Yet, youth sport has challenges related to declining participation, overspecialization, hypercompetition, lack of accessibility for people from low socioeconomic backgrounds and those with impairments, and other inappropriate practices based on educational standards.

These issues hinder long-term athlete development and overall physical literacy. Through the establishment, promotion and implementation of the SHAPE America National Physical Education Standards and the National Standards for Sport Coaches, SHAPE America is best positioned to address the needs of all school-aged youth through sport. This position statement addresses meeting those needs.

Intended Audience

This position statement was prepared for all school administrators, educators, support staff, coaches, parents, guardians, public health officials, wellness professionals, other professionals who work with children and adolescents in school settings, and the entire school community.

Definitions

Student-Centered Sports and Physical Activities: Empowering students by giving them choices and allowing them to learn about sports, physical activity, themselves, and others in a safe, nurturing environment.

Youth Sport: All-encompassing term to describe sports activities that occur in school (intramurals), at school (extracurricular), or are not related to school (recreational, club or unstructured). There is no ministry of sport in the United States to oversee youth sport, so each sport, program and league establishes its own governance.

Intramural Sports: Sports activities that take place literally “within the walls” of the school. These activities are school-led, school-programmed, and for students within that school. Intramural sports are often promoted in grades 4-6 but should be promoted for all students K-12.

Extracurricular, or Interscholastic, Sports: Sports activities that are not part of the curricular school day. These activities typically involve students from one school competing against students from other schools. Interscholastic sports are most often reserved for students in high school, although some schools participate in interscholastic sports in grades 7 and 8.

Inclusive/Inclusion: Intersubjective feelings of belonging, acceptance, and value from the perspective of the students themselves

Paralympic Sports: Sports training and competition experiences that promote motor/sports skills and social inclusion for participants with physical disabilities

Special Olympic Sports: Training and competition experiences that promote social inclusion for participants with intellectual disabilities.

Unified Sports: Joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team.

Core Issues and Solutions

Inactive youth tend to also become inactive adults, compounding the risks of physical inactivity as adults and older adults (CDC, 2019). Youth sports are recognized as a vehicle to increase youth physical activity levels and establish healthy habits for a lifetime. To promote lifetime physical activity and reduce the risks of physical inactivity, an increase in youth sports participation from 51% to 63.3% of all youth has been suggested, in accordance with Healthy People 2030 objectives (Martinez et al , 2024).

Overemphasis on the adult model of youth sports participation has led to single-sport specialization, burnout and quitting in youth sports, and disparities in youth sports participation regarding race, membership in disability communities, income, and access to facilities. It has been estimated that more than 70% of youth sports participants drop out of youth sports by age 13 (Brenner & Watson, 2024).

Youth sports injuries lead to loss of playing time, time out of school, additional health care costs, and sometimes reduced ability for lifelong physical activity (Al-Qahtani et al, 2023). Youth sports participation in the United States has shifted from seasonal school-based activities to yearround, sport-specialized, for-profit programs.

School sport participation has been reported at 28.5% for intramural sports and 30.2% for interscholastic school sports, compared to 58.4% participation in recreation leagues and 27.5% in travel or club sports (Project Play, 2022).

Youth sports are cited as positive influences in the lives of students, but only if schools and the community at large meet the needs of a larger percentage of the student population. As the school system is the largest provider of sports opportunities for students, it is incumbent on schools to provide quality intramural and (where feasible) interscholastic sports opportunities.

Table 1 presents core issues affecting youth sports with suggestions on how schools can lead the charge to improve youth sports and physical activity.

Core

Table 1. Key Issues in Youth Sports and Proposed Solutions

Issue

Lack of physical activity can lead to physical and mental health issues for school-age youth

Youth sport is not meeting the needs of all participants

Intramural

and Extracurricular Youth Sport Solutions

• Encourage participation in youth sports since they are recognized as a vehicle to increase youth physical activity levels and establish healthy habits for a lifetime

• Create lasting ways for students to participate in youth sports, as chronic physical activity has shown a medium positive effect on academic achievement (Barbosa et al, 2020)

• Provide opportunities for continuous, intensive participation in physical activity and sports at school age, which is more important than participation in specific sports (Talema et al, 2005)

• Promote increasing youth sports participation rates to meet the Healthy People 2030 target of 63% of all youth participating in intramural and interscholastic sports youth sport to:

o Reduce overweight/obesity prevalence by 3.37%, resulting in 1.71 million fewer cases of overweight/obesity

o Reduce depression and anxiety symptoms, which saves $3.61 billion in direct medical costs and $28.38 billion in productivity losses

• Create quality intramural and extracurricular sport program that fit the CSPAP (SHAPE America, 2023) model and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee [USOPC] American Development Model (ADM) (USOPC, 2024)

• Ensure that SHAPE America’s National Physical Education Standards are implemented in the curriculum, and align the standards to each student’s physical literacy journey before, during, and after school (SHAPE America National Physical Education Standards Educator Kit, 2024)

• Incorporate SHAPE America’s National Standards for Sport Coaches (see also Table 3) (SHAPE America, 2020)

• Provide strategies to implement LTAD within K-12 programming by aligning LTAD and curriculum models across instructional levels (Fullerton, Gaudreault, & Royce, 2023)

• Create inclusive and integrated programming for youth of all abilities, including Paralympic, Special Olympics and Unified Sports

• Implement safety strategies for youth sport such as proper strength and conditioning, training of all coaches, and coordination of participation across intramural, interscholastic and recreational play

• Do not use exercise as punishment (see SHAPE America position statement)

Guiding Principles for Physical Activity and Sports Programs

All school-aged children and adolescents should receive basic instruction in motor skills, healthand skills-related fitness, and sport activities through comprehensive, high-quality physical education programs. Such programs facilitate the skills and knowledge necessary for supporting an active, productive and healthy lifestyle. In Table 2, SHAPE America recommends guiding principles for physical activity and sports programs that support physical education.

Table 2. Guiding Principles and Recommendations That Support Physical Education

Guiding Principles for Physical Activity and Sports Programs

Before- and after-school physical activity programs and sports programs complement high-quality physical education

Ensure that all children are provided the opportunity to participate in physical activity that can contribute to their enjoyment of sports and lifetime movement

Every school should provide a CSPAP with high-quality physical education as the foundation to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime

School administrators provide all students with high-quality, sustainable opportunities to be physically active beyond the school day

Recommendations

• Ensure that your physical activity and sports programming complements the physical education curriculum, providing a forum for enhanced learning and refinement of skills and behaviors promoted in physical education classes

• Consider physical activity and intramural programs (e.g., lacrosse, golf, martial arts) that can introduce components of physical education that might not be offered as part of the physical education curriculum

• Schools should not substitute before- and afterschool physical activity opportunities for part of the physical education program

• Intramurals should be directed by professional educators, have access to adequate facilities and equipment, ensure participants’ safety, and be funded adequately

• Partner with high-quality before- and after-school programs at the school and in the community that do not include a physical activity component Many before- and after-school programs (e.g., tutoring, mentoring) require a physical activity component to enhance their program objectives, and partnering together can enhance both, creating a more comprehensive program

• Consider the use of the Sport Education model in physical education as it relates to CSPAP

Guiding Principles for Physical Activity and Sports Programs

Students should be encouraged to be part of the decision-making process to establish/offer a variety of physical activity programs and intramural sports

Schools must ensure that students receive at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity as part of their daily physical activity requirement

Schools must ensure that healthy food choices are available and promoted

Schools must ensure that additional educational material that promotes a healthy lifestyle (e.g., reduced screen time) is available

Recommendations

• Implement a system that includes student voices in the development and implementation of physical activity and intramural and/or extracurricular sports programming

• Provide opportunities for students to experience a variety of physical activities through intramural sports that will contribute to an active lifestyle and enhance their leisure-time physical activity

• Include health-related fitness education and skill development as part of the intramural program.

• Promote enjoyment, fair play and teamwork in all activities

Best Practices for Physical Activity Leaders and Coaches

1. Utilize the SHAPE America National Standards for Sport Coaches

Physical activity leaders and sport coaches can have a very positive influence on students not only during the activity time in school but also for the rest of the students’ lives Standards are needed for coaches just as standards exist for physical educators, health educators, and other teachers and administrators in the building.

The mindful and consistent recognition of the SHAPE America National Standards for Sport Coaches (SHAPE America, 2020) will likely contribute to physical activity leaders and coaches providing healthy and meaningful experiences for all participants, regardless of the abilities of each participant.

Table 3 summarizes the standards, examples of that standard, and practical suggestions for how the standard may be applied.

Set Vision, Goals and Standards for Sport Programs

Table 3. Applying National Coaching Standards

Standard 1: Develop and enact an athlete-centered coaching philosophy

• Focus on the holistic development of the student-athlete, meeting every child at their age and stage

• Focus on the journey for each child, how they develop, their personal interest, and how physical literacy can guide the journey

Standard 2: Use long-term athlete development with the intent to develop athletic potential, enhance physical literacy, and encourage lifelong physical activity

• Provide developmentally appropriate opportunities for students that will promote and enhance motor skill development and self-efficacy

• Activities should reflect student interests and should provide challenge, enjoyment and moderateto-vigorous physical activity for all participants

• Include within the program of activities:

o competitions in various sports clubs

o self-directed activities

o open gym

o special events

o instructional and practice opportunities

• Consider modifying activities so they are appropriate for individual students’ age, physical development, and skill levels Leagues may need to be established based on low, moderate and high skill levels

• Establish rules and regulations that ensure equal opportunity, fair play and safe participation

Engage in and Support Ethical Practices

Standard 7: Model, teach and reinforce ethical behavior with program participants

• Enhance social interaction and reduce student conflict

• Include direct instruction on appropriate ethical behavior in activity and sport

Build Relationships Standard 10: Develop competencies to work with a diverse group of individuals

• Provide opportunities for co-ed physical activity participation, when appropriate, but also inclusively focus on the behavioral, social, and psychological needs of all participants, their disposition toward physical activity and sport participation, and solutions to promote enhanced engagement in physical activity and sports for all students

• Enhance opportunities for all involved to increase their knowledge and understanding of SHAPE America’s National Standards for Sport Coaches

• Promote understanding of cognitive, psychosocial and motor development in children and youth

• Integrate knowledge of and sequential progressions for components of physical fitness and appropriate training principles

• Include sports programs for participants of all ages and abilities, including Unified Sports, Special Olympics and Paralympic activities

• Develop knowledge of a variety of sports and physical activities, including skills, rules and officiating techniques

• Require knowledge of sports safety and first aid

• Prioritize knowledge of program planning and various resources available for providing appropriate physical activity experiences

• Develop a healthy understanding of knowledge and skills related to organizing competitions (e.g., teams, ladders, tournaments, practices, rotations)

Build a Safe Sport Environment

Create a Positive and Inclusive Sport Environment

Standard 16: Reduce potential injuries by instituting safe and proper training principles and procedures

Conduct Practices and Prepare for Competition

Standard 22: Build inclusive practices into the program for all groups (e.g., race/ethnicity, gender/gender identity/gender expression, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, nationality, etc.) which are aligned with current legal and ethical guidelines

Standard 28: Create intentional strategies to develop life skills and promote their transfer to other life domains

• All activities should be structured to ensure that safety requirements are met, including consideration of each participant’s readiness for the activity based on age, skill and physical condition

• Schools should develop a written policy manual for before- and afterschool physical activity and sports that includes medical clearance to participate, informed consent, locker room supervision, and clear rules for student behavior, procedures for preventing accidents, managing injury situations, reporting accidents, and notifying parents/ guardians in the event of an emergency

• Immediate first aid must be available from trained providers any time the program is in progress. First aid equipment must be available on site, must be included in the budget for the program, and must be monitored regularly

• Pupil/teacher ratios must match the ratios established for classroom subjects

• Students must be supervised appropriately at all times

• Conduct regular inspections and remove, repair or discard all damaged equipment

• Students should be grouped during activities based on interest, inclusion and developmentally appropriate activities, and then be adjusted for skill and maturity level

• Promote enjoyment, fair play and teamwork

• Include strategies to teach teamwork, leadership, persistence, and social and emotional skills

Strive for Continuous Improvement

Standard 31: Develop and utilize pedagogical strategies in daily practice

Standard 35: Engage athletes in a process of continuous self-assessment and reflection to foster responsibility for their own learning and development

Standard 39: Develop an evaluation strategy to monitor and improve staff and team performance

• No laps, lines or lectures

• Intermix accurate and timely demonstrations, games-based learning, and problem-solving activities.

• ABCs (Assessing Behaviors & Cognition) across four domains: physical, psychological, cognitive and social-emotional

• Intramural and extracurricular programming must include both ongoing evaluation throughout the school year and final evaluation near the end of the school year to determine:

o Whether program goals and objectives were set and met

o Whether the programming meets the CSPAP criteria

o Whether student response to the activities meets the goals set for the program. Specifically:

▪ Did students’ levels of enjoyment of physical activity increase?

▪ Did students’ levels of fitness and skill development improve?

▪ Did students sign up to continue the program?

o Whether facilities/equipment meets the program’s needs

o Whether participants’ safety was maintained throughout the program

o Whether the program helps to meet other identified objectives of the school, such as academic performance, attendance, and behavior

2. Implement Policy to Not Use Exercise as Punishment or Withhold Physical Activity

SHAPE America published a position statement (2021) that informs teachers and coaches to not use exercise as punishment or for behavior management. Instead, the position statement provides best/appropriate practices that can be used to replace inappropriate behaviors. The solutions are intended for physical education teachers, other teachers/coaches, support staff, and administrators. Appropriate practices are instrumental in creating a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students.

Guidelines for Youth Participation in Intramural and Extracurricular Programs

1. Characteristics of Before- and After-School Physical Activity and Intramural Programs

The term “intramural” means simply “within the walls.” Traditionally, the term refers to team and dual/individual activities, tournaments, meets, and/or special events that are limited to participants and teams from within a school or institutional setting

More recently, efforts to expand intramural participation have broadened the definition to include all physical activity-based programming, including clubs, open gym days, dance activities, etc Intramural programs, therefore, are a great way to add structure to physical activity across grade levels.

In addition to within-school participation, here are five distinguishing characteristics of a high-quality physical activity and intramural after-school program:

a) The program meets the school’s CSPAP criteria. Please review the SHAPE America position statement on CSPAP for guidance (SHAPE America, 2023);

b) Activities are intended to be voluntary in nature (i.e., the student has a choice of activities or participation);

c) Every student is provided an equal opportunity to participate, regardless of physical ability or skill level;

d) Students have opportunities to involve themselves in the planning, organization, administration and evaluation of programs. Such involvement should be ageappropriate and should be under the supervision and guidance of a qualified adult;

e) All physical activity and intramural programs should comply with school, local, state and national policies governing such activities.

The Role of Interscholastic Sports in Physical Activity and Intramural Programs

Education-based interscholastic sports are an extension of the school’s intramural sports and other physical activities, not the other way around. As such, interscholastic sports should follow the same guidelines as put forward by the National Federation of High School Sports (NFHS Handbook, 2022), namely they should:

• enrich the educational experience;

• encourage academic achievement;

• promote respect, integrity and sportsmanship;

• prepare for the future in a global community;

• develop leadership and life skills;

• foster the inclusion of diverse populations;

• promote healthy lifestyles and safe competition;

• encourage positive school/community culture; and

• be fun.

SHAPE America recognizes that not every school has the capacity to provide comprehensive interscholastic sports opportunities for its students. To address equity in program offerings, schools can lead the planning for vertical alignment of sports participation in their communities by partnering with recreation and community programs to provide multisport programs and sport-specific programs for all students.

Table 4 outlines guiding principles (NPR, 2023) which can help all schools provide students with a positive experience through interscholastic sports.

Table 4: Guiding Principles and Recommendations for Interscholastic Sport

Guiding Principles for Interscholastic Sport

Offer a variety of sports to appeal to all tastes and talents

Recommendations

Integrate with the intramural and physical activity programs within the school to develop a broader offering

Partner with local recreation and community programs to increase the number of programs available for kids

Don’t force kids even star players to specialize

Give kids of varying skill levels opportunities to play

Use school space and time creatively

Ensure that practices have the appropriate ratio of teacher/coach to student

Keep things in perspective

Consider shortening seasons, opening the gym before and after school

Integrate programming with intramurals and community rec programs

Make movement part of the school day

Follow state regulations and coaching standards

Schools need to give youth sports at all levels back to the kids

Conclusion

Physical activity, intramural programs, and extracurricular sports (when feasible) should be integral components of a school’s CSPAP. SHAPE recommends that all schools offer beforeand after-school physical activity programs that include sports programs (intramural and/or interscholastic) as part of their Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP).

The first step is always the toughest. This position statement provides solutions to key issues in youth physical activity and sports participation, guidance on instructional resources and key concepts, and best practices that can be applied at your school.

The key is to take that first step.

References

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SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators. (2023). Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: Opportunities and Access for All [Position statement]. https://www.shapeamerica.org

SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators (2021). Physical Activity Should Not Be Used as Punishment and/or Behavior Management [position statement]. Annapolis Junction, MD: Author.

SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators. (2020). National Standards for Sport Coaches (3rd Ed.): Quality Coaches, Quality Sports. Reston, VA: Author.

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Suggested Citation

SHAPE America – Society of Health and Physical Educators. (2026). School-Based Intramurals and Youth Sport Programs [Position statement]. Annapolis Junction, MD: Author.

Acknowledgments

Rick Howard

Francina Hollingsworth

Robert Knipe

Megaera Regan

Keri Schoeff

Tom Roberts

Taralyn Garner

David Keiling

Matt Wood

School-Based Intramurals and Youth Sport Programs

POSITION STATEMENT