Search The University of Tennessee:

Staying Active and Healthy

The ancient Greeks knew that there was a close relation between physical and mental fitness—the venerable philosopher Plato (if you don't know about him already, you'll learn about him soon enough!) spoke at length of the importance of exercising both the body and the mind. UT offers many ways to keep your whole self in top shape. Here are a few.

RecSports

RecSports is the Recreational Sports division at the University of Tennessee. It is a division of the Dean of Students Office and serves students, faculty, and staff by providing excellently maintained facilities for almost any sport or fitness oriented person. RecSports has a number of divisions including Aerobics, Aquatics, Intramurals, Outdoor Recreation, Sports Clubs, and much more.

If you're interested in outdoor recreation, the RecSports folks offer trips (like kayaking and hiking), a climbing wall, and equipment rental—and they'll even tune up your bike so you can cruise around our campus on your own steam!

Intramural Sports

The UT intramural Sports Program is a division of RecSports dedicated to providing all members of the university community opportunities to participate in recreational evens in a fun and safe environment. The program offers a wide range of team, dual, and individual activities including flag football, sand volleyball, dodgeball, ultimate Frisbee, and much more.

Sports Clubs

The UT Sports Clubs create more opportunities within RecSports for students to compete. Clubs provide the perfect venue and resources for participation in competitive, recreational, and instructional activities ranging from intercollegiate competitive team play to outdoor adventures. Popular programs include the Equestrian Club, Ice Hockey Club, Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse, Men’s and Women’s Rugby, Ski and Snowboard, Triathalon, Ultimate Frisbee, and Water Polo.

TRECS

TRECS is the primary facility of RecSports, but we think it's so grand that it deserves separate mention. Pronounced "TEE-REX" (like the dinosaur), the Tennessee Recreational Center for Students has something for everyone: an enormous recreational space including a four-court gymnasium for basketball and volleyball, an indoor track, racquetball courts, fitness areas for cardiovascular and strength training, multipurpose studios for aerobics and martial arts—plus a game area, a pro shop, a casual dining area, and an outdoor deck by the pool.

UT Varsity Athletics

In case you hadn't heard, our UT varsity intercollegiate teams are champions! Home of many championships including football, women’s basketball, and track, UT is a member of the exciting Southeastern Conference (SEC). It goes without saying that the Volunteer Spirit animates the entire campus! Our students are very proud of the Orange & White.

UT participates in the intercollegiate sports listed below. Most varsity athletes are recruited, but any student may try out for varsity teams.

• Men and Women: basketball, tennis, swimming and diving, indoor and outdoor track, golf, and cross country
• Men: football and baseball
• Women: softball, volleyball, rowing, and soccer

» Maintain a Healthy Mind!

Maintaining a healthy attitude toward the stresses of college life is crucial for staying fully healthy and active. If you feel like you are becoming overwhelmed with your workload and need a sympathetic ear, if you need advice on stress and wellness, or if you're in crisis, please don't hesitate to make an appointment at the Counseling Center! They offer a full range of counseling services to current students free of charge.

» Student Health Service

Student Health offers a variety of services ranging from flu shots to family planning counseling. The center provides quality medical care on an outpatient, around-the-clock basis, and most of their services are covered in each student's activities fee. It is one of approximately 20 accredited college health facilities in the nation.

The full-time staff includes eight primary-care physicians, nurses, a psychiatrist, and a psychologist. In-house specialty care includes a gynecologist, a dermatologist, a sports medicine specialist, a surgeon, and a wellness coordinator. The SHS website also features information on immunization requirements for students attending UT.

» Office of Disability Services

Disability Services seeks to eliminate the barriers that students with disabilities encounter and to work with them to achieve and maintain individual autonomy. Services include assistance for students with visual, hearing, learning, mobility, or other impairments.