Educating and Motivating Students with Xavier University Recreational Sports

Mission

Recreational Sports at Xavier University emphasizes belonging, leadership and well-being while providing Xavier students and the broader community with the finest programs, services, facilities and equipment — all to support and foster a lifelong appreciation of body, mind and spirit.

Facility Descriptions

The Recreational Sports facilities at Xavier provide a comprehensive, student-centered environment designed to promote wellness, engagement and fitness. Guided by a mission that emphasizes belonging, leadership and overall well-being, the facility offers a wide range of programs, services and spaces that support both individual and group recreation.

At the core of the department is the multi-use Recreation Center that accommodates diverse activities, including fitness training, intramural sports, group exercise classes, club sports programming and informal recreation. The center is staffed primarily by trained student employees, creating a peer-led atmosphere that enhances both service delivery and student development. Participants have access to fitness equipment and activity spaces on a first-come, first-served basis, with policies in place to ensure safety, respect and proper use of all amenities.

Key components of the facility include a 25-yard, four-lane recreational pool, three hardwood basketball courts, a multi-sport court with lines for basketball, volleyball, pickleball and more, and strength and cardio training spaces. Recent additions include a golf simulator, two Olympic lifting platforms, two plate-loaded glute drives and a plate-loaded hack squat. Three classrooms for athletic training and exercise science are directly connected to the fitness floor to promote hands-on learning.

In addition to open recreation, the department delivers a variety of structured programs, including group fitness, intramural sports, club sports, and employment opportunities that foster leadership and professional growth. These offerings contribute to a holistic recreational experience that extends beyond physical activity to include social interaction and personal development.

Overall, Xavier’s Recreational Sports facilities serve as a dynamic hub for campus life, encouraging students to stay active, build connections and develop healthy habits that last well beyond their time at the university.

Programming Highlights

Xavier’s intramural program partners with the University of Cincinnati (UC) every year. The universities created their own intramural basketball championship series inspired by the Crosstown Shootout — an annual men’s basketball game played between UC and Xavier. This game takes place in the spring, and the school’s alternate host sites each year.

In the fall, each university’s flag football intramural champions also compete for bragging rights and medals. These games are held on UC’s campus in Nippert Stadium, the varsity field, creating a cool experience for students. For all of these games, a mixture of UC and Xavier student referees officiate the contests.

Xavier’s club sports program has 29 total clubs, with 26 involved in a national conference. Club athletes benefit from having a full-time athletic trainer who works exclusively with them. The trainer isn’t employed by the university but through a partnership with TriHealth, a local healthcare organization. During the week, the trainer holds clinic hours and attends evening practices on the field. In March alone, the trainer conducted 202 clinic visits and 44 on-field visits with student athletes.

On average, Xavier’s group fitness program schedules around 28 classes each week throughout the fall and spring semesters. Along with traditional classes like Pilates, cycling and yoga, the department hosted its first line dancing class, and it was a huge success. They also partnered with a service dog training company to host a puppy yoga class that has nearly 100 participants. Each week, student instructors get creative and host themed classes.

Fun Facts

The department had a golf simulator installed this past February. In March, the simulator was used for 218 hours.
Every day, opening shift student employees create a new poll on a dry-erase board at the front desk. Everyone who enters the building can interact with the poll, creating a fun atmosphere.
Xavier offers free memberships to faculty and staff to help boost campus morale.