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Volume 72, Issue 117,
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Life & Arts Bringing down the house, with pride With the motto ‘Paint up, git rowdy,' Honors College Bleacher Creatures strive to increase school spirit by ASHLEY HESS
There are more than 300 student organizations that thrive at the University. Only one, however, has an off-and-on history of rowdy behavior, face and body painting, and loud screaming members that is not only accepted, it's welcomed. The Bleacher Creatures, whose motto, "Paint up, git rowdy," is a group of students whose purpose is to boost school spirit at UH athletic events. "Bleacher Creatures has always been a pretty grassroots organization," said Bleacher Creatures coordinator Ciara Major. "It's always been student-run and organized and really an unofficial thing." Bleacher Creatures was developed in the 1980's by a group of students in the honors College who wanted to do more to support the university. They began painting up in the stands at football games to show their spirit. The creation of the organization helped to disband the notion that Honors College students do nothing but study all day. "When I joined Bleacher Creatures, I found out that the Honors College people really do support their school in more than just academics," said chemical engineering senior Carol Stojan. The original Bleacher Creatures began to die out when some of their core leaders graduated. It was revitalized in 1998. Although Bleacher Creatures is directly out of the Honors College, students do not have to be in the college to join the organization. History junior Melissa Bonnette has been an active non-Honors College member since she transferred to UH this year. "You just have to have a lot of school spirit and you have to show up at all the games and participate," she said. "We're not going to turn anyone away and we're always welcoming newcomers." "We heart UH," Bonnette said. Faculty advisor Brenda Rhoden, who plays an important behind-the-scenes role as the "go-to" person by answering questions and helping students get in contact with other groups on campus, believes in the importance of school spirit here on campus. "I think the group we have now is much more organized and energetic," Rhoden said. "It's very important for our student body to be supportive of all of our athletic teams, and it's a great way to meet fellow students. Just because UH is a largely commuter campus doesn't mean you can't have spirit and really support your school teams. I really see Bleacher Creatures as a very inclusive organization versus exclusive, and I think it's important that all students know that they can be a part of that." While the Bleacher Creatures attend every UH athletic event they can, football turns out the most members, ranging anywhere between 50 to 100 members. "I think the main thing is that once you go to one of the games and you interact with the Bleacher Creatures, you're hooked," Major said. "It's so much fun to go there and be with people who are excited to be at a game and have some semblance of ‘we're going to paint up, we're going to have fun, and heckle them as much as we can.'" The members are dedicated to supporting the Cougars, whether it's tailgating parties with other organizations or taking road trips to away games. "The team is going to do better because they know that we're behind them as a student body," Bonnette said. Bleacher C reatures also makes sure that all of its members know the songs and cheers that are traditional to the University. "We're one of the few groups that knows the (Cougar Fight Song)," said Carol Stojan, a member of Bleacher Creatures. "At the games, we are arguably the loudest group that's yelling." Send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu |
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