YouAlberta
I attended the U of A Pandas basketball game, it was my first time going to a varsity game and I could not recommend it enough.
Going to the game made me feel connected to the U of A community. There was a diverse crowd of students from all faculties and years of study, and I even got the opportunity to connect with other students. There is a cordial environment at the games; everyone is friendly and inclusive, and the game transmitted an animated and positive atmosphere. The crowd of students was energetic and engaged with the game from start to end. It was great to see a large crowd of students show up to support women's sports! Varsity games have a cheerful sports competition energy, it is great to see everyone celebrate when the team scores. We all shared great team spirit and encouragement, rooting for the team in every achievement of the game.
I got to share my U of A pride at the game. At varsity games, students usually wear their U of A green and gold hoodies and t-shirts, and hats with the image of GUBA and Patches (the U of A mascots). In the half-time or during the game, you can get U of A and Golden Bears and Pandas merch to join the crowd in showing U of A pride. Wearing the U of A colours at the game made me feel at home and welcome to participate in the celebrations of the game.
Varsity games are for everyone. It does not matter if you practice the sport of the game you attend, whether you understand the rules of the game or how the team gets points. Even if you do not know anything about a certain sport, you will still enjoy the game and have a great time! I was unfamiliar with the rules of basketball before going to the game, and I was able to learn about the rules of the game and understand how each team can score points and how scores are marked. I not only had fun at the game, but I feel like I became an expert in basketball!
Student event supervisors are an essential component for Varsity Games to run smoothly. Supervisors assist event staff in their duties before, during, and after the game; they go around ensuring that the operations of the game go smoothly so that everyone can enjoy it. Event staff and supervisors participate in different roles each game, such as merch, security, selling beers, and half-time activities.
Half-times get really active and fun at varsity games. There are plenty of activities over the half-time that encourage students to participate in the different challenges that vary according to the level of skill, and to win diverse prizes. Participating in the different challenges made me feel more connected to the student game experience because I was now directly participating in a competition. One of the challenges was to talk for a minute about a random topic without using conversational fillings such as “umm” or “err,” to win a prize. A popular challenge is the “throw for dough” competition: students can purchase a small cushion of dough and throw it at the court during the halftime of the game; the cushion that gets closer to the center is the winner. Another challenge consists of throwing a certain number of balls into the baskets placed in the middle of court; the ones who successfully complete this challenge can win free flights and tickets to future games.
At varsity games, there is also the social media team for the Golden Bears and Pandas. They post photos and updates of the score of the game, to share how the game is going with the crowd supporting the team virtually. Attending the games is an excellent opportunity to meet and take a photo with GUBA and Patches, who also go to the games to root for the team.
Varsity games are free for U of A students, you just need to get your ticket. It is always a good strategy to have your ticket electronically in your phone. You can consult the teams’ schedule in advance, to plan your visit.
Varsity games are great events to connect with the U of A community and have fun. It is also a great way to unwind from studying and relax after the stress of exams, and recharge your battery for the remaining weeks of the term. I enjoyed going to the game so much that now it has become my favourite Friday night and weekend activity!
Attending Bears and Pandas games as a U of A student
U of A Students who are assessed the Athletics & Recreation fee are eligible to receive free admission to all regularly scheduled Golden Bears and Pandas events excluding Canada West and U SPORTS playoffs and special events. Eligible students are able to access their ticket voucher by logging into their Golden Bears and Pandas Ticket Account with their ualberta email address. To access your account, go to the betheroar.ca.
