Got game? You’re going to need it. “Get Your Game On” is the theme for WCU’s Homecoming 2007.One of the most anticipated and exciting events of the school year, according to students, is homecoming, which is set to take place on Friday, Sept. 28 and Saturday, Sept. 29. Each year, WCU celebrates all students both past and present, with a variety of festivities.
“I am so excited,” Jai Northcraft, third-year student and president of the homecoming committee, said. “Homecoming is one of the only times that WCU comes together, no matter what aspect you are involved in. I love seeing the energy that surrounds homecoming.”
After brainstorming many different ideas, the homecoming committee developed the theme “Get Your Game On,” which will be a take off on all kinds of games.
“The committee discussed many different themes and agreed on this one. It is a good theme because it is a broad one, and it encourages the organizations to be creative for the competition,” Sarah Tansits said, a fourth-year communicative disorders major on the committee.
The homecoming committee, which consists of 15 active members, started making plans for this year’s homecoming just weeks after Homecoming 2006 and has been working ever since.
“It is a year-long process that is full of meetings with public safety, borough officials, dignitaries, administrators and students,” Northcraft said.
“Every year we, as the homecoming committee, try to make homecoming bigger and better,” Tansits said. One of the new events for this year will be a Match Game to showcase the homecoming court. This function will be held on Monday, Sept. 24 at 8:00 p.m. in the Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall. Throughout the week of homecoming, there will also be a poker night, fashion show and a Student Activities Council bingo night.
The homecoming pep rally and bonfire will be held on the evening of Sept. 28. Although usually held indoors, this year all events will take place on Hollinger Field. The change in location has caused the committee to reformat the event. Despite some changes, this spirit event never fails to enthuse all those in attendance.
The annual homecoming parade will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Sept. 29 and will take a similar route as followed in years past. Each student organization, including all of the fraternities, sororities, clubs and associations will have an opportunity to participate in the parade. Playing off this year’s theme, members of many organizations will perform a skit and/or dance when they have reached the end of the parade route in front of Sykes Student Union.
“Organizations are encouraged to base their themes for the homecoming parade around anything games: video, board, street, sports etc.,” Northcraft said.
Judges will decide on first, second and third place winners. There will be two alumni judges which are Judi Kaplan Ivins, class of 1977 and Robert Essaf, class of 2007. Rachel Brooks, who is Miss Pennsylvania, will be the grand marshal of the parade and will also serve as a judge. The rest of the panel will be made up of faculty and staff who have not yet been selected.
After the parade, the WCU football team will be playing the Bloomsburg University Huskies in the homecoming football game at 2:00 p.m. “It’s very exciting that we’re playing Bloomsburg. They are one of the toughest teams on our schedule,” Matt McNally, a fifth year kinesiology major and offensive lineman. Also, the Homecoming King and Queen will be announced during half-time at the game. “Students should show up early to get good seats,” Northcraft sound.
Homecoming is less than a month away, and there are still many plans to be made. If one would like to get involved, the homecoming committee meets Thursday afternoons at 3:30 p.m. in Sykes 254, or can contact Northcraft at her e-mail address.