The National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) is an organization which regulates various sports through the collegiate systems across the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. NIRSA serves students who play at the university varsity or club level in

athletic sports Athletics is a term encompassing the human competitive sports and games requiring physical skill, and the systems of training that prepare athletes for competition performance. Athletic sports or contests are competitions which are primarily bas ...

, but do not participate in the

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

, NAIA or other sports affiliates. In addition to providing resources for Campus Recreation Programs through conferences, workshops and symposiums, NIRSA is the host of the National Championship Series events, which offers regional and national extramural tournaments in the sports of Flag Football, Basketball, Soccer and Tennis.

History of NIRSA

Dr. William Wasson founded NIRSA in 1950 when he presented his study on intramural programs entitled "A Comparative Study of Intramural Programs in Negro Colleges." This led to the formation of the National Intramural Association (NIA), NIRSA's original title.

Core Competencies

NIRSA has 8 confirmed core competencies: programming, philosophy and theory, personal and professional qualities, legal liabilities and risk management, human resources management, facility management, planning and design, business management, and research and evaluation. The competencies help professionals to attain new skills, and plan, assess, and refine programs.

Professional Development

NIRSA provides a variety of professional development and educational opportunities for members including their Annual Campus Recreation and Wellness Expo.

References

College sports governing bodies in the United States Education-related professional associations {{edu-org-stub