Columbia is an Athletic City in Motion

Something for every sports-crazed Columbian.

It’s hard to miss the fact that Mizzou has a football team, but the truth is that Columbians of all ages and skill levels are flocking to fields, courts, gyms, and other athletic facilities around the city, day and night, to play and compete in a wide variety of sports. While there are plenty of opportunities to play sports like softball, basketball and tennis, the range of sporting options extends much wider, and the options for athletic competition are plentiful.  

Wheelchair Basketball  

Mizzou’s wheelchair basketball team debuted during the 2005-2006 season, and today represents the University of Missouri in the Central Intercollegiate Division of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. Head coach Ron Lykins, a former head coach for Team USA who coached both the men’s and women’s wheelchair basketball teams to consecutive gold medals, says that those new to the sport often think the game is slow, with not much action.  

“First time spectators are amazed at the speed, skill, and athleticism of the players,” Lykins says. “They realize the game is fast-paced and exciting. After a short time, new spectators realize it is just basketball.”  

While the team has enjoyed success during competition in the NWBA, its players and coaches have also found success outside of Columbia, on both national and international stages.  

“We have had players compete on their national team from Australia, Canada and the United States,” Lykins says. One current player and one recent graduate will be competing for Canada at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Mizzou coach Scott Meyer is an assistant coach for the USA Men’s Team that will compete at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games.  

Lykins also coaches a Mizzou wheelchair basketball camp, open to athletes ages 12 through 19 with a permanent disability of a lower extremity.  

All Mizzou wheelchair basketball games have free admdission.  

Columbia Rugby F.C.  

Founded in 1980, the Columbia Rugby Football Club offers opportunities for athletes of all ages to learn and play rugby.  

“We offer a K through eighth grade camp each summer to teach kids the basics of rugby through Columbia’s Parks and Recreation department,” says Columbia Rugby F.C. President Alex Antal. “We recently relaunched our high school boy’s and girl’s teams, which practice twice a week in-season and compete against other high school teams around the state.” 

Columbia Rugby F.C. also has an adult men’s team for anyone 18 or older, which has competitive seasons in the fall, spring, and summer against teams from around Missouri and neighboring states. There is also a local adult women’s rugby club called the Black Sheep Women’s Rugby Club that practices weekly and play rugby games against other women’s teams. 

With a current roster between 30 and 40 players, Antal says social events are a big part of the sport, and the rugby community quickly becomes small as athletes mingle and interact.  

“One tradition rugby teams have is after each game the home team hosts the visiting team for a social,” Antal says. “This allows players from both teams to get to know each other better and build community outside of our respective teams. Many of our former teammates go on to play for teams in other cities and we get to reconnect with them when we play those teams each year.”  

For those athletes who are intrigued, but hesitant to take the leap into a new sport, Antal has some encouraging advice.  

“In America, many rugby players don’t start playing until college or later, so no one expects you to know what you’re doing at first and people are very welcoming and encouraging,” he says. “Rugby is a fun way to stay fit and compete in a team sport that you can play well after you graduate high school or college as there are adult men’s and women’s teams all over the country.”  

Intramural Sports at MU 

The list of intramural sports at MU is long, and individual sports like fencing, running, and swimming are popular throughout the year, says Ethan Cobb, assistant director for sports and competition at MU. But when it comes to team sports, basketball is the most popular intramural sport, with leagues offered each semester.  

More than 110 teams register for intramural basketball each semester, Cobb says. As interest in basketball remains strong, interest in intramural pickleball has also exploded.  

“In my first year here (2021-2022), we offered a single day tournament that quickly filled up with more than thirty doubles teams,” Cobb says. “In the years since, we have offered a tournament each semester, along with a league that sees great participation.”  

This year’s intramural offerings will include new events like three-on-three sand soccer and archery tag, and Cobb says he is hopeful that they will gain a following.  

“Fencing and ultimate Frisbee are some of our lesser-known clubs that actually have significant interest from the student body, and compete at a high level,” Cobb says. “These aren’t necessarily sports that have a ton of participation at the high school level, aside from the club/private scene, which makes this environment perfect for those sports.”  

In the past couple years, the university has also introduced a new type of intramural club — esports affiliated clubs Valorant, Overwatch, and League of Legends.  

Two additional sports will make their debut this fall, when Submission wrestling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Club will officially welcome athletes from the Mizzou community.  

While Mizzou club sports are open to enrolled MU students and some faculty and staff, the eligibility requirements for other sports vary.  

“Depending on the sport, national governing bodies may have stricter requirements for competition, such as students only, or a minimum enrollment requirement,” Cobb says. Intramural sports participation is open to anyone who has a MizzouRec membership, who will then be eligible to purchase an Intramural Sports Pass. The pass will be required for league sports, while most tournament offerings will not require the pass. 

The Kitchen  

For those who can’t get enough pickleball, The Kitchen Grill & Games at 3717 Discovery Parkway offers indoor courts that are open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. 

“Just based on the initial, overwhelming feedback we received after we initially announced The Kitchen, we went back and increased the footprint of the entire place,” says Jack Cardetti, spokesperson for The Kitchen. “The popularity of pickleball is exploding and because it’s a fun sport that can be enjoyed by all ages, we don’t see that popularity slowing down. But mid-Missourians need more places where they can play the sport and The Kitchen will give them a truly unique opportunity to do so.”