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Aggielife
The Battalion
Page 3 • Monday, November 3, 2003
Shake your tail feather
Aggie 5 gather for food y fun and and pre-game tailgating camaraderie
By Will Knous
THE BATTALION
From the first day students arrive at Texas A&M, they begin
the “other” education, and although the Aggie football team
might not be winning every game, students and alumni still gath
er before and after the game to show their support by tailgating.
“I think tailgating at A&M shows the true spirit of Aggie fan...
the are true to the team regardless of record,” said Hannah
Malcolm, a sophomore chemistry major.
Going to Midnight Yell Practice, mugging down and saying
“Howdy” are traditions that all students are familiar with, but tail-
gating is steadily gaining in popularity.
Birthed in the frigid parking lots of Green Bay and Buffalo,
tailgating has been making its way south toward Kyle Field as
more students begin to embrace this burgeoning tradition.
“I cooked out once when I was a freshman, but my friends and
lhave started doing it a lot more,” said Chris Norman, a junior
industrial distribution major.
Aggie tailgating can consist of a few buddies getting together
before the game to grill some burgers or 500 former members of
the Corps of Cadets rehashing old times over hot dogs in Duncan.
Just as Aggies are diverse in their background and interests,
they like to pass their time at the game in different ways.
Whether it's an outfit reunion, a parents’ weekend barbecue for
a sorority or fraternity or just a group of students and their par
ents grilling outside the stadium. Aggies love to have a great time
with friends.
Sororities and fraternities sometimes hold special tailgating
events on game days.
“We had barbecue before the game at Reed Arena, then pulled
tickets and sat with our dads at the game,” said Keely Abshier, a
senior special education major and a member of Pi Beta Phi
sorority. “We had a good turnout and the dads enjoyed it.”
Some students graduate from A&M and go on to work or study
at other universities and get to experience college life from anoth
er perspective.
Lauren Falcon graduated in 2003 and moved to Waco to work
at Baylor University. She says she enjoys her job, but still miss
es A&M and the tailgates.
“While Baylor’s tailgates are fun and a way for students to
gather together before a game, A&M’s tailgates are more about
family—where everyone who’s an Aggie or just a fan of Aggies
can come together, bond over a meal and rally before the game,”
Falcon said.
Jordan Watson, a transfer student from Stephen F. Austin State
University, says he tailgates because he knows so many more peo
ple here at A&M.
“I used to go to Lumberjack Alley, sort of a free buffet from
local businesses, when I was at SFA. It wasn’t really even a tail
gate,” Watson said. “I went to a camp reunion tailgate at the
Baylor game when I got to A&M. I just hung out with friends I
hadn’t seen in a long time and we had some free burgers.”
Even after they graduate. Aggies still come back to Kyle Field
J spend time with friends and family, or maybe try and per
suade their kids to follow in their footsteps.
One of the most popular tailgates on campus every week is
t on by the Association of Former Students. Kelly Hutka,
director of campus programs for the Association said more peo
ple are coming back and tailgating.
“We have a formal tailgate party—they’re open to everyone,”
Hutka said. “It’s just mainly a time for Aggies of all ages to get
together and visit before game time.”
Hutka said that when she graduated in 1997, tailgating was not
a common activity.
“Tailgating was not a big thing when I was here. If I recall cor
rectly, you couldn’t have open (alcohol) containers on campus,”
Hutka said. “Tailgating just wasn’t a big thing for students and I
still don’t think it is.”
Hutka said she thinks tailgating at A&M is something that will
flourish is in the coming years.
For now, The Association tailgate welcomes former, future and
current A&M students.
“We have a specific area for kids. Former students bring their
children back, and that’s been a very popular event,” Hutka said.
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Joshua Hobson • THE BATTALION
iRick Wilkenfeld (left) of Texas City, Class of 1976, watches as former Yell Leader Ron Plackmeier, class of 1975, serves homemade chili at their tailgate
next to Kyle Field before the Kansas game. The Plackmeier and Wilkenfeld families have been tailgating next to Kyle Field for more than 15 years.
s aTm W/lgatin
Even Old Ags travel back to
College Station to tailgate; the
Class of 1968 was in over the
weekend. The Association has tstf
been doing reunions and tail
gates for years Hutka said, and
the attendance varies by game.
At the Oklahoma State game
they .had more than, 500 people.
“Class reunions typically
have a tailgating element, so
whether they tailgate (at the
Association) or over at Duncan,
they want to formally get
together before the game,”
Hutka said.
Another of the mainstays in
A&M tailgating is the J Lot
Aggies.
Formed in 1992 by former
Yell Leader Brant Ince and David
and Kay Cain, about 60 to 100 of
the J Lot Aggies meet for every
home game on the northside of
Olsen Field to eat, drink and
cheer on the Aggie football team.
“If you want to sum up the
purpose and mission statement
in three words you could say
‘last ones standing’,” said Mike
Ogorchock, Class of 2000 and
one of the J Lot faithful.
The J Lot Aggies show their spirit by having different games
and activities.
“We have themes every week—Hawaiian shirt week. Fajita
Week, Oktoberfest, and last weekend was the chili cook-off,” said
Ogorchock. “This is just a bunch of friends that graduated togeth
er—a lot of the yell leader, Bonfire types of connections.”
Aggies choose to show their spirit and support for the Aggie foot-
Joshua Hobson • THE BATTALION
Members of the Class of 1955 and their families gather outside Kyle Field before the Kansas game Saturday.
ball team by making the trip out to Kyle Field for some tailgating.
Some come back to meet with old friends and some turn up to
spend time with new ones, but either way, tailgating at A&M is
something that is only going to get more popular.
“I think tailgating at A&M is new, I think it’s growing—It’s
really just about camaraderie—reliving those old times and getting
that enthusiasm up for the games,” Hutka said.
Apply Now!
MEDALS
Where; Pick up your application
at MSC 137
When: Conference Jan. 30 th -31 st
Retreat Nov. 20 th 8:00p.m. Koldus 110
Why: Encourage high school students
to pursue a higher education!
Who: All Aggies are encouraged to volunteer!
Contacts: Maxine Hayes hmhS651 @hotmail.com
Becky Gutierrez kidita @ vahoo.com
**Applications Due Nov. 13th
Call toll free: t.800.897.1827 fax: 410.727.1006 email: vocationsssj@aol.com www.josephit8.com