Spring Break
'Spartan Sports Day' gives away free loot
Kevin Yuen
Daily Staff Writer
Taking place in the early afternoon, the event was organized by a group of seven students as a part of a project for Event Planning, a recreation and leisure studies class.
"We're giving out food, drinks, games," said sophomore Marc
Tellez, one of the seven organizers. "We just want students to come out and have a good time." Tellaz said Spartan Sports Day was held in conjunction with A.S.'s own Spartan Pride campaign to promote school spirit.
"We estimated around 75 participants at the minimum," Tellez said. "We had at least 150 people. We're very happy with the turnout." All of the materials used for the event were donated by local organizations. Radio station KMEL played music for the hour, while eateries and gyms offered gift certificates and passes as prizes. A.S. provided all the tents and tables as well as a few prizes.
"You get one ticket for participating (in each game), and another if you win (the game)," said junior Maclovia Gonzalez, a Spartan Sports Day organizer. "Then you show your ticket and you get pizza and put your tickets into the raffle (for the prizes). So the more you participate the more opportunity you have to win."
There were four carnival-style games to participate in: a threelegged soccer goal kick, a softball toss into a garbage can, a football snap into a tire and a basketball shot after spinning around a baseball bat.
"I love this," said Nick Osterloh, a junior meterology major who had just completed a dizzy basketball shot. "It's free food, free prizes, free fun. It doesn't get much better than that."
Three raffles were held, each with different prizes."
"I think we need to take advantage of things like this (on campus)," said senior Jeremy Penafl or, who won a prize from one of the raffles that included a pizza gift certificate, a gym membership, an A.S. bag, an A.S. baseball cap and a map. "I think it's great to try and get people involved with school activities."
Heather Cooper, a teacher's aide for the Event Planning class, was helping grade the event.
"Each event has something going for it," she said. "This one has so far pretty much met all the expectations. Every event is different, so it just depends on (many factors)."
For some students, the incentive of free stuff was enough to lure them into being participants in the academic experiment.
"This is cool," said junior Sean Snyder, a computer science major, as he chomped down on his free slice of pie. "We need more events like this."
Snyder's friend Keith Reynolds added, "Yeah, more free pizza."
The Event Planning course
contains many groups planning
similar future events on and off
campus, such as a free tailgate at
4 p.m. on Saturday at the Spartan
Stadium tailgate area before the
game against Rice University.
