Welcome New Students & Families!
We help Tar Heels Stay Active by providing a variety of activities, events and programs, like fitness classes, sports, workout spaces, equipment rental, outdoor programs, and more. Here you will find an overview of everything we have to offer, plus a map of our facilities, answers to Frequently Asked Questions, and more!
To us, staying active includes a wide variety of things, playing sports, working out, dancing, painting, being outdoors, making new friends….
Mission Statement & Vision
Campus Recreation designs and delivers innovative, diverse, and inclusive experiences that stimulate wellbeing, enjoyment, and learning for the entire University Community. Campus Recreation inspires all Tar Heels to have fun, stay active, grow, and play together. Learn more.
Value of Campus Recreation
Academic Success, Professional & Leadership Development, Diversity & Inclusion, Engagement & Belonging, Physical Health, Mental Wellbeing, & Recruitment & Retention. Learn more.
Membership
All full-time undergraduate students receive an automatic membership through student fees. Non-students or part-time students can purchase a membership. Learn more.
Included in membership
- Group fitness classes
- Access to facilities and equipment
- Intramural sports
- Student discounts for other programs
Potential additional cost
- Sport clubs (variable, most have a membership fee)
- Addition fitness programs like personal and (Heel Fit) group training
- Challenge course events like ziplining (occasionally free)
- Expeditions and indoor climbing (occasionally free, like at Rec After Dark events)
- Certification courses (lifeguarding, group fitness instructor, etc.)
- Swim lessons, swim stroke clinics, etc.
Get Involved
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Follow us @unccampusrec on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube
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Download our UNC Rec app on Apple or Andriod
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Stay up-to-date by checking our website regularly
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Register for activities on Stay Active (active membership & ONYEN login required)
Facilities
- Two indoor recreation facilities/gyms with cardio equipment and weight room equipment
- Student Recreation Center (SRC) and Rams Head Recreation Center
- Two indoor rock climbing walls
- Fetzer Climbing Wall and Rams Head Climbing Wall
- Eleven indoor basketball courts (Woollen Gym, Fetzer and Rams Head)
- Indoor track (Rams Head), racquetball courts (Fetzer) and functional group training space (SRC)
- Two aquatics facilities, one indoor and one outdoor pool
- Bowman Gray Memorial Pool and Kessing Outdoor Pool
- Outdoor tennis courts, volleyball courts and basketball courts
- South Campus Recreation Complex (SCRC) and North Campus Recreation Complex (NCRC)
- Eight multi-use turf fields
- Hooker Fields and Ehringhaus Field
- Outdoor challenge course, disc golf course and trails
- Outdoor Education Center (OEC)
Activities & Programs
- Fitness & Wellness
- Group fitness, FREE for all students and members, in-person & on-demand
- Variety of formats including cycle, cardio dance, yoga, lift, etc.
- Group training, additional cost, highly inclusive small group with instruction from coaches and progressive, functional workouts for all levels of fitness (max of 8 people per class)
- Classes are 50 minutes in length and include strength, conditioning, and accessory
- Program in 4-week strength blocks that progress week to week
- Day, monthly and semester pass available includes unlimited weekly classes
- Personal training, additional cost, one-on-one in-person training or online programming
- Can be purchased in 4, 8 or 12 session increments, either in-person or virtual
- PT Start-Up includes a full fitness consultation/assessment and 1 training session
- Group fitness, FREE for all students and members, in-person & on-demand
- Aquatics
- Two pools on campus, Bowman Gray Memorial Pool and Kessing Outdoor Pool, open for lap swimming
- Swim lessons, swim stroke clinics, lifeguarding courses, etc. (additional cost)
- Occasionally we host special events like Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Log Rolling, Battleship, etc.
- Intramural Sports
- Played between Tar Heels on-campus, like organized pick-up games, FREE
- Open to everyone, range in competitiveness, some get really into it (typically the common sports) and some play for fun with little to no experience
- Winners receive a Intramural Champion T-Shirt
- Common sports: Basketball, flag football, volleyball, futsal (indoor soccer), etc.
- Uncommon sports: Wheelchair basketball, innertube foosball, disc golf, spades, pickleball, spikeball, goal ball, battleship, crossnet, trivia, some e-sports, etc.
- Not all sports are offered every semester
- Sport Clubs
- Campus Rec includes over 50 student-run sport clubs, similar to high school sport teams with regular practices and games, compete against other schools
- Clubs range from instructional to competitive, depends on the club
- Typically have additional cost for membership, depends on the club
- Experience-level required, try-outs, time commitment, etc. depends
- In short, everything depends on the club and these clubs are run by students so it is best to reach out to them with questions
- Recruitment usually happens the first week or two weeks of school, and try-outs or practices start soon after, not all clubs are active every semester, contact information for each club (Heel Life pages) linked on our website here
- Campus Rec includes over 50 student-run sport clubs, similar to high school sport teams with regular practices and games, compete against other schools
- Carolina Adventures
- Indoor Climbing
- Two indoor climbing walls, Fetzer Hall and Rams Head Rec Center
- Additional cost for a belay (belay test required) or auto-belay/bouldering membership
- Intro classes and skill workshops (rappelling, lead climbing, etc.) offered throughout the semester
- Special events like Newbie Nights are FREE and great opportunities to try climbing
- For specific questions or request for private lessons, contact Russell Hobart, rhobart@unc.edu
- Expeditions
- Variety of expeditions like kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, hiking, camping, etc. around NC and beyond
- Additional cost varies depending on trip and trip length, cost covers all equipment, food, transportation, etc.
- We offer Outdoor Gear Rental, so students can rent equipment like tents, camp stoves, etc.
- Challenge Course
- The challenge course includes a low & high ropes course, 1,200 ft. zipline, etc. and is located at the Outdoor Education Center
- Mostly used for group reservations from organizations (Ex. New Student & Family Programs Orientation Leaders)
- Special events like “Full Moon Zipline” offered throughout the semester for everyone to sign up individually, typically with a small additional cost
- Indoor Climbing
Employment
We are UNC’s largest student employer with over 300 students working every semester! Work on-campus throughout the semester and summer. We offer flexible scheduling, paid training, job promotions, and professional development opportunities. Learn more.