As far back as most of us remember, the universal question for many Oakland University students and brothers has been “Why doesn’t OU have a football team?” It was often the start of a joke, one that led to smirks, laughs and rolling eyes.
These days, that’s no longer the case.
The Oakland University Club Football team is quickly gaining ground and becoming one of the favored pastimes on campus, and the 2017 season was a milestone as it was the first time the football team played a game on campus.
Historic tidbit: Remember, OU was formed in 1957 but didn’t officially get a football team until October 2013 – it’s a part of the National Club Football Association’s Great Lakes Conference; though up until recently the team’s played home games across the street at the Auburn Hills Civic Center Park.
For the Oct. 28 game against Michigan State, our Zeta Pi Chapter of Sigma Pi was right there in the huddle (so to speak), helping to make this a serious sport with tradition attached to it.
About three quarters of the undergraduate chapter helped out — from working to establish a relationship with the team on a personal level, cooking and serving a pre-game dinner that may become a new tradition, and recruiting organ donors at the game in service of Sigma Pi’s national philanthropic cause.
Well done, Men!
How This Came To Be
Making this happen was a joint effort between the undergraduate chapter and two distinguished alumni –
- Brother Rob Ray (of the Alpha Alpha Pledge Class in Fall ‘97), who has been a Rochester City Council member and in Nov. 2017 was named the city’s mayor(!)
- Brother Rob Pankau III, of the Alpha Iota Pledge Class in ’02 whose served in various fraternity leadership roles locally and nationally, and took over as chapter director in July 2017.
With the football team’s game-playing presence emerging on campus, Brother Ray wanted to seize the opportunity before anyone else did.
A few of the players had mentioned that they’d love to start a tradition between the students on campus and the team, something like how Notre Dame once painted the team’s helmets before a game. Given that the OU team has missed out on this tradition since their inception in October 2013, most believe it would be a welcomed gesture and maybe allow the Sigma Pi Chapter to demonstrate leadership on the idea.
Both alum were able to assist in sponsoring a banner for the team, as well as sponsoring one of the players.
They then helped the Chapter sponsor one of the pre-game dinners on Fridays, allowing for everyone to meet each other on a personal level while bringing some needed pre-game food energy to the football team.
“That took some effort,” Brother Ray says, “but the Chapter eventually connected the dots and got it off the ground. I can vouch that it was greatly appreciated by the team and coaches; lots of praise came for the Chapter afterwards.”
Sigma Pi Goes Long To Welcome a New Tradition
Brother Collin Olson (Beta Kappa ’14) who’s served as Sage for the 2017-18 year, was one of those actively involved who took the field to help organize the pregame and during game activities, including participating in the coin toss. Notably, a Sigma Pi coin was used in the game-starting toss, thanks to Brother Olson!
Used in the OU home-game coin toss on Oct. 28 2017, donated by Brother Collin Olson.
About three-quarters of the Chapter were involved in some capacity.
Our Chapter served spaghetti, garlic bread and salad, because the coach was specific about getting the guys good nutrition and no desserts. Brother Dominic Patrus did the cooking. Even more awesome is how our Chapter put out an open invite for other orgs and alum to attend, to show school spirit in support of the football team.
This effort also allowed our Sigma Pi Chapter to represent itself locally and with our National philanthropy, Donate Life America, at the football club’s on-campus game. Brother Olson (who is also a board member for Donate Life Michigan) estimated that we recruited about 18 new organ donors by the end of the day, with Brothers Loren Appold, NIcholas Carr and Frank Valenti organizing the organ donation table while many other men stepping in to help with various aspects.
As to the future, Brother Olson says further plans include continuing our supportive efforts of the club as well as potentially rushing a few of their members — a tactic actually proposed to us by their head coach.
“I wouldn’t quite say it’s an official tradition to serve the football players yet, but there’s interest from the football team and we certainly intend to make it so,” Brother Olson said.
And hey, if the game’s final score — OU 32, MSU 12 — had anything to do with Sigma Pi’s involvement, here’s to keeping this tradition alive! Especially as the OU Football Club’s 2017 season marked back-to-back Great Lakes Conference Championship wins.
Brother Collin Olson shaking hands with Grizz in October 2017.
Here’s to a new tradition between our Zeta Pi Chapter and the OU Football Club!
#ThisIsOU #GoGrizzlies
