Flag football on campus has always been big for Greek Life. Finding out which fraternity and sorority is the best at slinging the pigskin and doing Peyton Manning impersonations all for bragging rights is something big for them—and surely is the biggest Rec Sport on campus.
With more than 200 Greek life members playing flag football this year, members in the Greek community enjoy the competition.
“Greeks play intramural sports because it gets the chapters actively participating on campus and getting involved with other clubs who aren’t in the greek community,” Amber Moore, mass communication junior, said, “Everyone loves a little friendly competition.”
On Oct. 2, Chi Omega and Sigma Kappa played in a highly anticipated matchup which brought out the biggest crowd the teams have ever witnessed, according to Chris Portillo, senior general business major.
“It normally isn’t that large, but I think all the hype on social media encouraged more people to come out and support,” Nicole Waiter, early childhood education senior, and President of Chi Omega, said.
Some might call it a rivalry, but Waiter said it’s, “More of a healthy competition as many members from each team are good friends. But it is definitely the biggest game of the season!”
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity showed up early to the game to grill food and play games to prepare for the game, which only added to the hype and pressure of the game.
“The crowd was great,” Waiter said, “I didn’t hear much negativity from either side. We need more people like that at every game.”
The game was mainly promoted and hyped up on social media with people tweeting their support for either Chi Omega or Sigma Kappa.
@Britt_Tullous93: If you aren’t at the ΣΚ vs. ΧΩ game tonight you aren’t cool.
@Hunterjonez28: Come out tonight and witness the greatest girls flag football game ever. #ΣΚvs.ΧΩ
@Jordiwaddell: Sorority flag football is so intense you’d think people were talking about the NFL
“The tweets were fun but some people were taking it too seriously, I heard rumors that someone bet $100 on the game and lost,” Waiters said.
Chi Omega won the game 20-7, after suffering minor injuries to three players, Erin Henderson, Kourtnie Renfro and Julie Brady. Brady was sent to United Regional Hospital after showing concussion-like symptoms.
Dalton Lee, management information systems senior, said the fraternity league has “between 120-140 members.” Lee also said, “It’s grown a little because Greek community has grown as a whole and some organizations can now have multiple teams.”
Sigma Alpha Epsilon has two teams, gold and purple, and Kappa Alpha Order with team A and B team.
A week earlier, on Sept. 23, a game between Kappa Alpha Order and Kappa Sigma got out of hand as the two players allegedly had to be separated after benches cleared.
David Brown, kinesiology sophomore and member of Kappa Sigma, said he unknowingly tied his belt which he admitted give him an unfair advantage. Members of Kappa Alpha couldn’t get his flag off because of the belt being tied. The next time Brown had the ball, Cobi Niedzwiecki, sophomore member of Kappa Alpha Order, tackled Brown and pulled him to the ground by the neck.
“The KA didn’t let go of my neck for a while, so then I shoved him off of me,” Brown said. “They were really pissed at me which is understandable. I would be too but I had no means of tying it.”
After Brown was thrown to the ground, the benches cleared.
“Before I knew it, three fraternities were in the middle of the field. SAE broke it up. I don’t believe any Kappa Sigs threw a punch or KAs throwing a punch, just a lot of cussing towards each other,” Brown said.
“Two teams being competitive was all that happened. It’s all blown over for the most part,” sophomore, Kappa Alpha member Tyler Garcia said.
Tyler Browning, who refereed the game, declined to comment, as well as Jesse Brown, criminal justice and business senior and President of KA, declined to comment as well.
The next game for Chi Omega is against Gamma Phi Beta, while Sigma Kappa plays Little Rascals on October 16th. Kappa Alpha plays TKE, while Kappa Sigma faces off against SAE Purple on October 13th.
