The 2019 Ursuline Volleyball season has come to an end. After an amazing season, the UA Volleyball Bears concluded their season in playoffs against Bishop Lynch at Dallas Baptist University in a crazy close game. They fought hard, and we are all so proud of everything they accomplished this season. This year, the varsity team worked hard to include students and parents in a special way with superfan t-shirts and exciting announcements on the players’ Instagram stories.
One thing many Ursuline students may not realize, however, is the team’s official theme for gamedays this season. Decided on the bus to the Pearland tournament this summer, the “Fight Night” theme, including boxing gloves and t shirts, has helped excite players and fans of the team.
Last year, the class of 2019 seniors chose the theme of Star Wars. Fans brought light sabers to games, sang the theme song, and senior team managers helped fans and players go full out in participation with the theme.
The Fight Night theme was chosen for several reasons. The greatest reason, however, was intimidation.
“We chose the theme fight night and made the motto, fight to the finish.” Explains Lauren Asher ’20. “Every game was called fight night and our theme song was also Fight Night.”
The hope of the players was that the theme would create a fun way for both Ursuline and Jesuit students to get involved with the volleyball team and their games. It was intended, also, to create an intimidating environment for opposing teams when playing a game at Ursuline.
Home games are a perfect opportunity to amp up the home team, get people excited, and have fun. Part of the fun is to intimidate the opposing team in a fun, positive way.
Another way the team worked to get students involved with the team was through superfan t-shirts. These shirts said “Superfan” on the front of the t shirt and had every varsity player’s nickname on the back.
Using players’ nicknames added a light, fun touch to the super fan t-shirts. The shirts were fifteen dollars and were worn by the players’ friends and family. You could spot many people wearing the t shirt and cheering the team on.
Despite the extensive details, excitement and advertising of the theme by players, many Ursuline students were unaware of the theme when asked.
“I did not know there was a theme this year” said Marta Baker ’20. “I remember the theme last year was Star Wars, but I thought it was more of an inside joke within the team than for the fans too.”
Multiple students thought last year’s theme was more of an inside joke, but this year allowed fans to be just as much a part of the theme as the players.
Overall, the concept of a theme for the volleyball season was a really special way to get students involved in the team’s season. Hopefully, more Ursuline sports teams will hop on the trend and chose fun themes for their seasons as well, allowing students to get even more involved and revved up for the games teams as a whole.
