The most effective risk management plans are those that alert the participants of potential dangers of an activity through appropriate communication (Appenzeller, 1998). This communication may be accomplished through appropriate supervision, obvious safety signage, and waiver/release forms (Seidler, 2001). A previous investigation of intramural sports programs within public universities reported that over 70% had developed a risk management plan (Lee, 1999). The study did not address, however, whether the intramural sport programs actually communicated their risk management plans to the participants. While previous risk management research has been conducted from a programmatic perspective, none has been done from the participant’s viewpoint. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of university intramural risk management plans from the perception of the participants.
Four hundred intramural participants at 5 major universities completed a survey that indicated their perceptions regarding the communication of risk management practices of their intramural programs through activity supervision, safety signage; and notification of potential risks through waiver/release requirements. The respondents reported that 69% never noticed an intramural supervisor being present; 83% reported that appropriate safety signage as not being apparent; and 81% were never notified of the potential risks involved in participating in intramural athletics through waiver/release requirements.
To determine the strength of any relationship between the aforementioned perceived lack of communication of risk management practices with the respondent’s gender, school classification, years of intramural activity participation, and number of activities participated, a Pearson correlation coefficient was employed. Results revealed significant relationships (p<.05) existed between: 1) Gender, years of intramural activity participation, number of intramurals activities participated and supervision of the intramural activity; 2) Gender, school classification, years of intramural activity participation, and notification of potential risks through waiver/release requirements; 3) Years of intramural activity participation and safety signage.
The results of this study are significant as they vehemently illustrate, from the perception of participants, that the intramural programs in the study were not communicating their risk managment plans thereby drastically reducing their effectiveness. Thus, although Lee (1999) reported that the overwhelming majority of intramural programs had developed risk management plans, the ones in this study apparently are not communicating them very well. This information will assist sport management practitioners regarding the importance of communicating effective risk management strategies of athletic activities, including intramurals.