From dodgeball to sack races, hundreds of Elon University students competed Aug. 29, 2014, in contests that helped build friendships while offering opportunities to relax at the end of the first week of fall semester classes.
By Kaitlin Dunn ‘16
A record number of Elon University students, faculty and staff took part Friday in an annual sporting event that gives competitors an opportunity to forge friendships while vying for prize packs and bragging rights.
Nearly 830 people – almost a 10 percent increase over last year – turned out for Campus Recreation’s annual Sportsfest competition, the theme of which this fall was based on the HBO “Game of Thrones” television series.
Students ran, jumped and leapfrogged through various competitions on the Campus Recreation Fields for prizes that included T-shirts, Elon Camelback bottles, Elon tailgating chairs and Smitty’s gift cards. Activities included the sponge race, sack race, relay race, dodgeball, tug-of-war and trolleys.
“The priority is that students, especially first-years, can really start to build relationships,” said Brandon MacCallum, assistant director of Campus Recreation. “It’s more about community building in an athletic setting than an actual sports competition.”
First organized in 1999 with 20 teams, Sportsfest now fields more than 80 teams each year. Members of the top 24 teams each received T-shirts while the top three squads – “Vicious and Delicious,” “Carolina Smiths” and “Looney Toonz” this year – nabbed the prize packs.
Residents of the third floor West Hall competed as a team with their resident assistant, earning extra points for having an RA on their team. Teams that had an Orientation Leader on their team also earned extra points.
West Hall resident Sabrina Campelo thought that Sportsfest would be a great way to bond with her hall, and when her resident assistant, Mariam Lopez-Rosales, suggested it to the students on her floor, Campelo signed up.
“I think it’s a great way to start off the year with the whole school and start fresh with some new people,” she said.
While Sportsfest is comprised mainly of first-year students, older students compete as well. Junior Corey Shegda was a member of the Elon Local News team for the second year in a row. “It reminds me of a more adult field day, just a lot of college kids going out and having fun,” he said. “It’s just so much fun and I love it.”
Junior Ryan Sienerth was on the “Stemnation” team, made up of members of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics learning community. Sienerth wanted to compete to ensure he took part in at least one Sportfest before he graduates.
“I feel like Sportfest is one of Elon’s biggest traditions,” he said. “It’s been going on for so long and it’s just as much of a tradition as participating in Elonthon or going to Late Night McEwen.”
1st Place: “Vicious and Delicious”
- Anna Gaspari
- Sophia Wensel
- Andrea Winsel
- Mariana Debare
- Eric Ruh
- Conner Armstrong
- Tanner Ray
- Bryan Korda
- Steve Skinner
2nd Place: “Carolina Smiths”
- Annie Skeadas
- Caroline Stenger
- Olivia Vaz
- Caroline Hartshorn
- Julia Brice
- Elijah Comerchero
- Jordyn Baende
- John Rhodes
3rd Place: “Looney Tunez”
- Sarah Maloney
- Kyle Barber
- Ellen Dove
- Cara McFadden
- Ryan Madden
- Keith Davis
- Ryan Spaulding
- Colin Meissner
- Clay Bruming
- Mykia Clayton