RecWell Through the Years

Under the provisions of the Federal Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act, the university was founded in 1863 to provide instruction to Massachusetts citizens in "agricultural, mechanical, and military arts." Accordingly, the university was initially named the Massachusetts Agricultural College.

Massachusetts Agricultural College matriculated its first class, and intra-class baseball competition took place the first year, soon followed by other sports (Sullivan, 2006).

The first Intercollegiate sports team (Baseball) was founded. Within a few years Crew, Football, Fencing, and Rifle were launched (no indication of whether these were club or varsity, or when the distinction began to be made) (Sullivan, 2006).

Earliest record of club competition.  MAC Crew Team defeated Harvard and Brown at first regatta held on the Connecticut River (Sullivan, 2006).

Drill Hall opens as the first building on campus expressly built for physical activities. This was a barn-line open space with a wood floor originally designed for military-style drills (Military service was mandatory for the first MAC students). , and became the main gymnasium for nearly 50 years, and was the first home for varsity basketball (Miller & Page, 2013).

Fraternities began informal Intramural competition in several sports, awarding plaques for some of those sports.) (source: Collegian microfilms, no exact citation available presently)

Inter-Fraternity Council established the first Inter-Fraternity Trophy 1930 (Collegian, November 12, 1930) to consolidate their sports activities. Before this, Plaques were given for some individual sports (other sports were left out). The Cup, by, contrast used a Points system to award competition in both Sports (Soccer (Fall), Basketball (Winter), and Baseball / Tennis / Relay Race (Spring)), The Spring 1931 Baseball League saw the first appearance of a Faculty Intramural team, and a “Non-Fraternity” student team.

Physical Education Building opened as the new primary Men’s athletic building on campus (renamed in 1949 after Curry S. Hicks, the first Phys Ed Director) (Miller & Page, 2013). The Drill Hall became the center of recreational life for women (“Co-Ed”) students (previously all their activities were outdoors). Massachusetts Agricultural College became Massachusetts State College and also included the University’s first pool. The major forms of sport on campus in this era were Varsity, Inter-class, and Interfraternity (Miller & Page, 2013).

First mention of the Women’s Athletic Association, organized by Mrs. Curry Hicks to provide recreational, intramural, and social activities for “co-ed” Umass students. Inter-sorority competition took place in athletics, drama, and scholarship with a bronze statuette being awarded to the overall winner. Intramural sorority competitions included Soccer and Field Hockey. (Collegian, 11/9/33). A trophy was established to be awarded to the sorority or other “Co-Ed” group that won the most points in athletics, dramatics, and scholarship during the school year, on a points system (Collegian, 11/22/33). (The WAA is mentioned in the Collegian through 5/6/59; it is not known when it was dissolved; possibly when women’s and co-rec sports were added to the main Intramural competition in the early 1970s. in the early 1970s.) Intramural Bowling was replaced by Volleyball for winter 1933 (Collegian, 1/11/33). The Stockbridge School ran their own Intramural Baseball league in 1933 (Collegian, 1/11/33).

The first set of codified Intramural rules was established. (Collegian, 3/6/39). Sorority bowling was recognized as an Intramural sport with 15 teams participating (Collegian, 3/6/39).

Massachusetts State College becomes the University of Massachusetts. Sid Kaufmann returns to direct the Intramural program. This year, an Intramural council was established and competition was opened to dormitory and commuter (Independent) teams. Bowling was added, and touch football, volleyball, basketball, and softball were joined. BB & VB had 22 teams. SB 18. (Collegian, 10/17/47).

Installation of field lights allows some sports to be moved outdoors from Curry Hicks Cage (Collegian, 10/13/49). According to a Collegian article, hazing was an accepted University tradition (!). This year the WAA Playdate marked the beginning of the women’s hazing season; previously it had marked the end. (Collegian, 9/23/1949).

UMass began an annual Extramural competition between the UMass and UNH Intramural football champions.

Drill Hall, home of women’s physical education, destroyed by fire, leading the University to accelerate its efforts to build a new Women’s athletic facility (Miller & Page, 2013)

Opening of new women’s physical education facility (Now named Totman), to replace the Drill Hall which burned in 1958.  This facility dwarfed earlier athletic buildings on campus, providing a modern pool, fitness facilities, basketball courts (which also served as an auditorium with stage house), archery range, and classrooms. (Miller & Page, 2013). Re-establishment of the “Recreation Cub” after lying dormant for two years (Collegian, 11/2/59). The opening of W. O. P. E. leads the WAA to inaugurate swimming events and establish the first Co-Ed night in their program (Collegian, 10/16/59). The Intramural program established a Points system to determine the overall campus-wide annual champion.

Boyden Gymnasium opened as the primary men’s facility. Even larger than Totman, Boyden included six basketball courts, 1 auxiliary court, physiology labs, weight training facilities, swimming pool, bowling alley, mat room, squash courts, classrooms and offices. The Collegian claimed that Boyden was the largest physical education “Cage” building in the country at the time. (Intramural Handbook, 1965; Miller & Page, 1963; Collegian, 2/12/64, 9/22/64. (No indication when the Division was elevated to a “School”.

Major expansion of the Intramural program. Chet Gladchuck appointed director of Intramurals, and increases sport offerings. Participation increased 200% with the opening of Boyden. The program began compiling and publishing detailed statistics next to league standings to help in the voting for the all-star teams. 14 sports, 15,928 participations, 4,701 participants, 384 teams, 1,351 games. The University President and the dean of the School of Physical Education performed the ceremonial kick-off ceremony. Intramural Activities Office assumes responsibility for maintenance of facilities during open recreational times (Intramural Handbook, 1965).

"Free Play" Activities (Open Recreation) brought under the administration of the Intramural Activities Program.

Approx. 2/3 of male undergraduates participate in some form of Intramural activity

Intramurals and open recreation began an extended period of rapid growth due to the expanding student population, new sport offerings, and launch of women's and co-rec offerings.

Formal launching of the Women’s Intramural sports program (Intramural Handbook, 1971-72)

Physical education classes become optional. Intramurals and recreational activities grew rapidly as did the campus and student population. (Intramural Activities Annual Reports, 1970s.)

The Intramurals Activities office begins sponsoring sport clubs. The rollout of women’s and co-rec intramural offerings is completed this season. Intramural participation reaches an all-time high this year. (Intramural Activities annual report, 1974-75).

Peak participation: 51,718 participations, 6,612 participants, 1,558 teams, 4,426 games (Intramural Activities Annaual Report, 1974-75).

Last remnants of the campus points IM system eliminated due to lack of interest. The dormitory league system had vanished by this point as well. (Internal records)

Establishment of separate levels of competition “Top Gun” and “Just Fun” for competition in Men’s football, basketball and soccer, as well as Co-Rec Volleyball.

“Intramural Activities” becomes “Intramural and Recreational Sports” 

PE189 (the officiating class) was dropped.

Steady increase in participation in open recreational activities.

Department hosted the NIRSA Regional Flag Football Tournaments.

“Intramural and Recreational Sports” becomes “Campus Recreation & Sport Clubs” .Spring Run n’ Gun football added and is an immediate hit.

General Physical Education program disbanded, ending phys ed classes. This leads to expansion of recreational hours.

Intramural participation began a period of steady growth which continued for a decade with increases in both sport offerings and participation.

Campus Recreation's Fitness program launches with the establishment of group fitness class offerings.

New state of the art field lights replace the antiquated lights at Boyden fields, expanding the opportunities for nighttime play.

New Recreation Center opens. Recreation participation quadruples. Fitness classes are greatly expanded and fitness fees eliminated. Yoga remains a separate fee-based program for another two years. New programs include personal training, nutrition advising, professional certifications, and wellness workshops. Student employment tops 300.

Campus Rec begins administering the Intramural program through IMleagues.com. This makes administration much easier for Campus Recreation, team captains and players, and has a positive effect on participation.

Group Fitness classes have expanded to over 100 class sessions per week!

Campus Rec begins offering Personal Training services and launches the Nutrition Advising Program.

Campus Recreation takes over organizing the UMass Homecoming 5-K Race, "Revolution Run".

First annual regional Intramural Basketball tournament. One of only two student-run tournaments in the country (and undergrad student, no less). UMass Campus Rec would host this tournament through Spring 2019.

Major expansion of the Intramural program which adds more than ten new sport offerings, including Badminton, Spikeball, Speedball, etc. Ice Hockey is dropped in favor of Broomball.

UMass Amherst hosts the annual meeting of the Massachusetts Association of Recreational Sports (M.A.R.S.) at the Rec Center.

This year saw the highest total Intramural participation in over 30 years, with more than 37,000 unique participations.

37,728 participations, 15,236 participants (27% female), 1,582 team/individual entries, 3,265 games. Program is currently holding 122 fitness class sessions per week. The UPlay tournament for New Employee’s Orientation was inaugurated, a fall kickoff offering of lawn sports designed as an icebreaker for students.

Campus Rec starts collaboration with the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative (MAICIE), a program which gives developmentally disabled individuals the chance to enjoy supervised activities in the Recreation Center.

 The Campus Recreation program moves from the Athletic Department to the division of Student Affairs and Campus Life, and begins a long, exhaustive period of transition. 2016: Jill Isabelle received a Chancellor’s Citation Award for her work running the Eureka! STEM program for disadvantaged girls 12-18, a program run in collaboration with Girls Inc. of Holyoke and the College of Natural Sciences. Senior staff received Ally training by the Stonewall Center. Title IX training is now required for all students. Starting this year, the Rec Center has periodically served as a venue for the dispensation of seasonal flu shots. The Rec Center was a site for flu-shot in Novembers.

Fiscal year ends with the highest participation ever in the recreation facilities: 702,612. Including aquatics, Intramurals, and Fitness, numbers totaled 820,062.

Campus Rec begins a pilot study of a new electronic sign-in/sign-out system for student employees to finally move away from the archaic paper timesheet system (Time Clock Plus), and implements it department wide in 2020.

Totman Pool closes permanently and Recreation hours are moved to Curry Hicks Pool for the first time in approximately 20 years.

Campus Rec expands collaboration with fellow WAP cluster departments (Center for Health Promotion, Center for Counseling & Psychological health and Disability Services) in the promotion of more events, including the De-Stress Fair, CLAW (the Campus Life and Wellbeing Collaborative) with various events, including the LBGTQIA+ Health & Wellness Fair, #40DaysofUMass, and the Sleep Fair.

Campus Rec begins the multi-year process of transitioning Club Sports clubs into Campus Rec.

Opening of the new Recreation turf fields. These fields will play a major role in eliminating cancellations and reducing rescheduling due to rainy weather.

  COVID pandemic leads to a shutdown of campus and suspension of all Campus Rec Programs. Zoom becomes a big part of everyone’s lives. Staff and students shift to remote working and learning respectively.

The Wellbeing, Access & Prevention cluster becomes the “Campus Life and Wellness” collaborative following the replacement of Disabilities Services with Residence Life.

Department hosted the NIRSA Regional Flag Football tournament for the first time since 2000, with the aim to make this an annual event.

Transition of the Center for Health Promotion into the Campus Recreation Department.

Campus Rec begins a comprehensive view for the development of a new Facilities Master Plan.

Recreation launches new Outdoor Recreation/Adventuring program

  Campus Recreation name changes to Department of Recreation & Wellbeing, and branding identity updated.

Fall 2023: Ascend climbing and bouldering facility opens. 

Located on the first floor of the Fieldstone residential building (345 Lincoln Avenue; entrance on Mass Avenue), our bouldering gym offers climbs up to 14 feet, designed for all skill levels. Whether you're new to climbing or experienced, you'll find opportunities for both challenge and connection.

The space features a lounge area with a fireplace and an outdoor courtyard with fire pits, creating a welcoming environment for relaxation and socializing. It's a new gathering spot on campus for climbers and friends alike.

RecWell completed an External Program Review with a focus on seven areas: organizational culture, full-time staffing and organizational chart, facilities and equipment, budget, student staff, integration of well-being education and services, and programs and services.

February 2024: RecWell completed its Facilities Master Plan led by Sesaki

UMass RecWell uses the FUSION Software management system for administration of facilitiies, Intramurals, and Club Sports.

In collaboration with Facilities and UMass Building Authority, RecWell identified a location for the building of its new Challenge Course and submitted an RFQ.