Spirit of Sport raises $12K

From basketball to Twister, to pogo-sticking and jump roping, everyone had something for them Friday evening, as members of the campus and surrounding communities came together to participate in the annual Spirit of Sport event, which benefits Special Olympics Indiana athletes. \nHosted by the Division of Recreational Sports, and celebrating its 30th year of existence, Friday's event was one of broken records and new achievements. \nRecSports surpassed its goal of $7,500, bringing in at least $12,000, said sophomore Jenny Logar, vice president of finance for Spirit of Sport. Logar said that number could rise as final donations are calculated. Similarly, attendance figures were the highest they've been in the past three years, said Andrea Hill, president of the event, although official numbers were not available by press time. \nWhile numerous explanations were offered for the increases, Hill said the activity itself was the cause of excitement.\n"It's an alternative to normal Friday night fun that student usually have," said Hill, a senior majoring in education. "You can come up and play games and have a blast." \nThe evening kicked off at 5:30, with basketball games between eight different Special Olympics Indiana teams, made up of athletes from across the state. \n Many student organizations, clubs and athletic teams that paid $75 to participate as a Hoosier Partner, which includes sponsoring a team and supporting it throughout the evening. \n"They obviously enjoy it, they're loving it, so if we can come out and support them, (that's) awesome," said junior Ray Rodriguez, a member of Phi Kappa Sigma, and a political science major. \nAs the evening progressed, HPER's Wildermuth gym was turned into a playground of sorts, with a climbing wall, an inflatable maze, volleyball games, basketball shootouts, even a karaoke contest available for students. \nBut the excitement quickly shifted outside at 8 p.m. for the Polar Bear Plunge, an activity where participants raise at least $60 to jump into an outdoor pool, surrounded by cheering crowds. \nWaiting to dive in, Deanna Macy, a senior education major who raised $560, stood shivering in the February cold, thinking about what was to come. \n"I'm very nervous and I've lost lots of sleep all week," she said, surrounded by her parents, grandma, boyfriend and his parents, who traveled from Indianapolis to watch her take the plunge. "It's going to be so cold ... freezing, capital freezing."\nThe games continued inside until 1 a.m., with some requiring more athleticism than others. \nSome students tested the limits of height and balance in the Oreo stacking contest, or relaxed and watched the Hip Hop dance competition, while others tried their luck at the three-point shootout. \nSophomore and football standout James Bailey made 10 three-pointers, and said he came to support Special Olympics while having fun at the same time. \n"I'm jumping on balls, climbing walls, dancing; I'm coming here (every year) 'til I graduate," he said.\nLater in the evening, a small crowd surrounded Katie Newton, who spent an hour and 22 minutes jumping on a pogo stick. While doing it, she smiled, laughed and made jokes, while the students who watched her attempted to give explanations for her performance. \nOnce she finally ended, she said her legs felt "like Jell-O," although she was happy. \n"I didn't work out today, I was looking for the work out," she said. "I may call and wake up my parents ... I'm going to tell them that I'm the pogo stick champion at IU"