Intramural sports at Chaminade University were once a reliable source of community on campus, but they have almost disappeared. Last school year, there were no major tournaments at all, and this year’s has been minimal. This upsets some students who remember the packed gym and lively competition of previous years.
Many students who participated in previous tournaments say the absence of the games has been disappointing. One student, Ethan Langkilde, who played in the 2024 intramural basketball tournament put on by the Office of Student Engagement and the Samoan Club’s volleyball and basketball fundraiser in 2024, described intramurals as one of the few opportunities to play organized sports on campus.
“I do miss playing intramurals because I got to bring all my friends together on one team,” Langkilde said. “You can say that everybody misses it. Everybody wishes there were games last year and more this year.”
The question of why intramurals seemed to disappear has a complicated answer. According to the director of Student Engagement Andrew Ancheta, the biggest factors have been staffing and leadership changes within the office. Between 2021 and 2025, the office saw four directors, each with different priorities and expectations for intramural sports events.
In the Spring semester in 2024, the OSE held a large 5-on-5 intramural basketball tournament. It was held at night in the McCabe gym which included multiple teams participating. This event drew in more students than most Chaminade basketball team games. Larger tournaments like this one take extensive planning, coordination, and people. Ancheta explained that since that semester, the resources available during the previous tournament have not been available.
At the moment, the department has only one full-time staff member alongside part-time student workers, while at many universities, intramurals are operated by entire teams dedicated solely to intramural sports.
Because of these challenges, intramurals have been scaled back intentionally. The Student Engagement department has introduced similar activities, such as a pool tournament in October, with a few more small events planned for the spring semester. While these activities don’t match the excitement or size of previous tournaments, they were chosen to fit the resources while still offering students a chance to participate in some form of recreational play. Despite the reduced programming, OSE still views intramurals as an important part of campus life.
“Yes, they certainly bring groups of students together,” Ancheta said. “During the games themselves, students also form community by attending to watch and cheer on their friends.”
However, there are also concerns from the Office of Student Engagement regarding conflicts within the games. There were issues with past games about sportsmanship and competitions becoming too heated.
“I’ve observed students or groups of friends speak poorly about each other simply because they were unhappy with the results of a game,” Ancheta said.
The hope among students and staff is that larger, more organized intramural tournaments can return once the resources and funding are available. For now, clubs and other Chaminade offices organize smaller games for students to attend. If the turnout is strong for smaller events, that support could help justify investing in bigger programs down the line for the Office of Student Engagement.
In the meantime, students like Langkilde continue to express their desire for more opportunities to play. For students, intramurals are more than just games: they’re a place to meet people, a way to feel connected to the campus community, and build relationships.
Until then, the future of intramural sports at Chaminade remains a work in progress, shaped by resources, leadership, and the voices of students who hope to see the tradition return stronger than before.
“Playing in McCabe with all my friends was one of my best memories of being here,” Langkilde said. “I hope we get that chance to play again and bring together the school.”
