There is one week each school year that students can’t get enough of, Springfest. The week-long competition between students is one of the most anticipated events on campus. Sports day is the last day of Springfest, a day that can make or break a team.

“Sports day is the only day of Springfest that takes an entire day.  It requires teamwork on every sport that is different than the teamwork needed for the weekly events.  I like the competitive feel of it.  Sports day is usually what determines that final standings so everyone is working to their full potential,” commented junior Joe Tatara a tribute in this year’s Springfest games.

Sports day, unlike the other days in Springfest, is an all-day competition that consists of four major sports and several minor sports in which teams participate. This year, the major sports were sand volleyball, flag football, kickball and dodgeball. The minor sports were horseshoes, badminton, wallyball, giant Jenga, and Frisbee golf. Each team competed in three of the major sports and four of the minor sports. Tatara’s favorite sport is flag football. “I have grown up loving team sports and flag football has the right amount of competitiveness and adrenaline.”

The most anticipated event on sports day, however, is not any of the major sports, but rather the mud pit tug-of-war. After all the major and minor sports have been played, the teams head out to the recreational practice field on the west side of Kiwanis Stadium to the mud pit. “This is the final event of Springfest and it is incredibly fun to see other teams get covered in mud.  It is the final hooray moment of all the hard work put into the week,” Tatara said.

Another tradition that seems to always happen during sports day of Springfest is the rain. For the past three years, it has rained on sports day, making the tug-of-war contest even more interesting.

This year was no different from the past as it started raining about half way through the games. However, participants didn’t seem to mind as they put on their jackets, pulled out umbrellas and continued on playing as if it was not raining.

Although this is a day of completion, sportsmanship and spirit are what this day of friendly competition is supposed to be about. It’s a time when students can have some fun, healthy competition before having to hit the books for finals. It is a way for students to relax for a week and get rid of the stress from school and just have fun.

This year the spirit award went to the Swagger Jackers who received $75 to Centrum Café and a Starbucks swag basket. The sportsmanship award went to the Careers who received $75 to Scheels and a Scheels swag basket.

At the conclusion of sports day the final points are tallied up and the top three teams receive prizes as well as glory and fame for winning and placing in Springfest. This year’s champions are the Tracker Jackers with District 13 coming in second and District 9 and ¾ finishing in third.

If students want to see photos and the final standings for the Springfest games, go to the Springfest at UIS page on Facebook or The Journal’s website, www.uisobserver.com.

As the year comes to an end and finals approach, the Springfest committee wishes that the odds be ever in the students favor and look forward to next year’s Springfest.