Halloween came a little early at Northern Kentucky University as the NKU Athletic Department held the Second Annual Halloween Hoopla on Oct. 25 at The Bank of Kentucky Center.


Kids and parents came to the event, as student athletes from each sport handed out candy to the trick-or-treaters. Different booths were set up throughout the gym floor giving kids the option of shooting a basketball, hitting a putt on a golf green or hitting a volleyball. Kids and athletes were encouraged to show their Halloween spirit and come wearing their costumes.

“It’s good to get the kids involved and it’s good for NKU to promote their sports teams,” said Taren Schwirejohann, a senior at NKU who volunteered at the event.

The soccer team even took it a step further to make sure that the kids put a full effort into their game.

“We set up a target at the top of the nets so kids actually try to shoot, because some of them were just hitting it with their toe so they could get the candy,” said soccer player Steven Beattie.

The event is not only held to get NKU involved with the community, but it’s also used to promote their athletic teams. Each visitor received a bag with information on the NKU athletic programs as well as a free voucher for a men’s basketball game during the 2010-11 season. A booth was also set up on the top floor with fliers and brochures of each team for anyone who was interested. To showcase each of the athletic teams, each team walked across the basketball court as the record of the current season or the team’s accomplishments from the previous season were announced.

At the end of the night the crowd watched some student athletes participate in a three-point contest and three men’s basketball players participated in a slam-dunk contest.
The theme of the night revolved around the kids, as their costume choices were recognized and three awards were handed out: Scariest costume was won by a very tall Death; Cutest was won by a little kid dressed up as a Dalmatian and All-around Costume Design was won by a kid dressed as a sniper in camouflage.

“We just want to get the community involved,” said Ryne Smith of the men’s cross-country team. “Every kid gets a voucher for a basketball game, and we just want the kid’s to feel a part of NKU and this event.”

Story by Sean Bennett