New incentive program hopes to increase student attendance
By Dannielle Lowe
Students on campus are getting excited about sports due to some enticement and a little competition known as Hall Stars.
In an attempt to get students involved and gain a greater home court advantage, the Athletic Department has promised to reward the dorm with the highest attendance percentage at games a plasma TV, or something equally as exciting. The point of the program is the dorm decides what the prize is.
Students appear to be excited about the competition.
"Hall Stars is actually getting people to go to basketball games, which generally wouldn't happen," said Ashley Paczolt, vice president of Shipstad Hall. "So it's basically awesome."
There's been a strong turnout thus far for Hall Stars. The last few home games are averaging roughly 300 to 400 more fans in attendance. Yet no dorm has hit the 50 percent participation mark.
Designed in an attempt to create enthusiasm for UP sports, particularly basketball, the inter-dorm competition operates on a point percentage system. Residence Halls are awarded points for the percentage of residents in attendance at each game. The higher the percentage of students in attendance, the higher the points awarded.
Halls will have the opportunity to win anywhere from one to a high of 25 points at each game. In order to receive the max amount of points, 100 percent of the students within one dorm must attend.
To receive credit for attendance, students must check in at the front entrance during half time at each game and provide hall name and student ID numbers for validation. Current standings are confirmed and announced following the end of each game.
RAs are getting in on the event and rallying their floors together. According to Paczolt, in Shipstad, the students within one wing attend games with one another in order to ensure full participation.
Attendance isn't the only way students receive points. During game breaks, dorms participate in time-out competitions. Students from two different halls participate in events such as three-point shoot outs, 5-on-5 mini games, bungee basketball and granny shots. The winners collect five extra points for their hall.
According to senior Stephanie Chandler, a marketing intern in the athletic department, Hall Stars appears to be working. Students who normally would not attend games are going.
"Students feel as though it matters that they are there because they feel as though they are a part of something bigger," she said.
Some dorms have more of a motivation to go then others. For example, students residing in Shipstad, who resent their archaic entertainment and lounge areas, are eager to win.
"We have incentive to want to go since we clearly have the most historic and most ghetto entertainment system," Lynn Le, a Shipstad sophomore, said. "My consumer side wants to help our dorm win a plasma TV because it would help add character to Shipstad."
But Le also believes students shouldn't need bribery to support their peers.
"I'd go to the games even if we couldn't win a TV," Le said. "It sucks for teams to not play for a crowd. You should want to support them as corny as that sounds."
Currently, the all-male residence halls lead the contest with 23 points. Corrado and Shipstad closely follow, while Kenna, Mehling and the Village battle it out for last place.
The slight increase in attendance numbers illustrates that school pride, or at least hall pride, seems to be on the rise.
"We're losing right now, and it sucks because were one of the best dorms on campus," Paczolt said. "So we (Shipstad) should probably step it up and prove it to everyone exactly why we're the best dorm on campus."
Many students on campus believe Hall Stars will aid in the teams' performance. According to Karlie Burris, a junior guard on the women's basketball team, the teams usually play better when they have someone to play for rather than themselves.
"This year we have winning record, but not a lot of support," Burris said. "We play better at home especially when we have a crowd."
According to Chandlers, the Athletic Department believes the new inter-hall competition will boost not only attendance but school spirit while allowing students to feel connected with one another. Student athletes agree and hope the competition brings some attention to UP's other athletic programs.
"I hope it helps get students to attend more games," Burris said. "There's definitely a lack of school spirit here at UP unlike what you would find at the state schools where athletics are their students' lives. It just would be nice to get some more recognition."
The Hall Stars competition continues through conference play. If the basketball teams conclude their seasons at the end of the conference, the prize will be awarded to the winning hall before spring break.
The next competition is at the women's basketball game on Saturday at 1 p.m. The Pilots face St. Mary's while the Villa men take on Shipstad.
