2008 Woodie Awards
Two Minute Drill
My Bowl-ing Experience Part 1
Sam Summers
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: Big Red Sports
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We are going to a bowl game! The phrase elicits excitement from any university's football fan base. For some it brings up the question of how do we get to the game? On Nov. 13 the Rotary Bowl committee's decision to invite Western Oregon to their annual bowl sparked that question for me, but in a different way.
With the invite to the Rotary Bowl on Nov. 13, the football team was on its way to St. George Utah. My team, the Western Cheerleading squad, felt that they should be there for the Wolves' first post-season appearance since 1997. There were several obstacles blocking our path; our coach was in Colorado recovering from surgery, our interim coach was unable to go and we, as a team, had no money. A quick call to our coach in Colorado gave us the representative we need to participate in the game. Our last and largest hurdle was the funding necessary to go.
Upon learning that we would possibly go to a bowl game, after the football team's 64-0 dismantling of Humboldt State on Nov. 10, I volunteered to look into acquiring the funds necessary if the invitation was extended. On Nov. 14, I got started. My first step was to get an estimate of the cost of such a trip. I looked at websites for airfare and even bus travel to and from the game. With the game being played on Dec. 1, the weekend before finals, bussing was not an option. Looking at airfare and hotels for a ten person squad and their coach looked like it would be 4,000 to 7,000 dollars minimum.
The amount required blew my mind. So much for what would be a short, memorable trip. Undaunted I began my task; raising the necessary funds in enough time to purchase plane tickets two weeks in advance. Looking back, Nov. 14 to Nov 16 was a nightmare. I was running all over campus in my free time to raise the money. My first visit was to ASWOU President Tiffani McCoy. After hearing my situation President McCoy directed me to the grant forms that student organizations can fill out to receive money from ASWOU's budget. Next, I visited the university's president, Dr. Minahan. As I waited in his office, he discussed the upcoming game with the football team's head coach, Arne Ferguson. When Dr. Minahan heard my reason for visiting his office he was able to contribute to the cheerleading team's cause despite the strain put on the school by the unforeseen invitation to the game.
With the invite to the Rotary Bowl on Nov. 13, the football team was on its way to St. George Utah. My team, the Western Cheerleading squad, felt that they should be there for the Wolves' first post-season appearance since 1997. There were several obstacles blocking our path; our coach was in Colorado recovering from surgery, our interim coach was unable to go and we, as a team, had no money. A quick call to our coach in Colorado gave us the representative we need to participate in the game. Our last and largest hurdle was the funding necessary to go.
Upon learning that we would possibly go to a bowl game, after the football team's 64-0 dismantling of Humboldt State on Nov. 10, I volunteered to look into acquiring the funds necessary if the invitation was extended. On Nov. 14, I got started. My first step was to get an estimate of the cost of such a trip. I looked at websites for airfare and even bus travel to and from the game. With the game being played on Dec. 1, the weekend before finals, bussing was not an option. Looking at airfare and hotels for a ten person squad and their coach looked like it would be 4,000 to 7,000 dollars minimum.
The amount required blew my mind. So much for what would be a short, memorable trip. Undaunted I began my task; raising the necessary funds in enough time to purchase plane tickets two weeks in advance. Looking back, Nov. 14 to Nov 16 was a nightmare. I was running all over campus in my free time to raise the money. My first visit was to ASWOU President Tiffani McCoy. After hearing my situation President McCoy directed me to the grant forms that student organizations can fill out to receive money from ASWOU's budget. Next, I visited the university's president, Dr. Minahan. As I waited in his office, he discussed the upcoming game with the football team's head coach, Arne Ferguson. When Dr. Minahan heard my reason for visiting his office he was able to contribute to the cheerleading team's cause despite the strain put on the school by the unforeseen invitation to the game.
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