This weekend the College will celebrate its first “plucked” homecoming. The absence of the pair of feathers that long accompanied Tribe Pride has lasted half a semester and seven football games. However, a new logo will finally be unveiled as alumni surge by the hundreds for a nostalgic return to campus.
p. While the much-anticipated logo will be revealed, the football sideline will remain lonely without an official mascot. However, the theme of the homecoming parade seeks to raise awareness and ideas to restore the absent mascot. From now until Thursday, clubs can enter a banner exemplifying the theme “Extreme Makeover: Tribe Mascot Edition” to compete for up to $500.
p. Submissions will be presented at Friday’s pep rally at Yates Field where groups are asked to perform a cheer to accompany their banner, which will be judged based on creativity and applause from the audience.
p. Bright green homecoming T-shirts will be sold this week at the University Center tables: $10 for short sleeves and $15 for long sleeves. Cash, check and William and Mary Express will be accepted. The green and gold tees feature Zable Stadium and the slogan “We must protect this house,” which will likely color the student section as Tribe football faces the University of Massachusetts Saturday.
p. Leading up to the homecoming football game, freshman, sophomore, junior and senior girls will first become enemies as they battle against each other in flag football. Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. the classes will face off in the Sunken Garden for the Powder Puff title. The following night, forgetting their football foes, the classes will reunite for the homecoming pep rally. From 7 to 9 p.m. on Yates Field, the event will feature free food and drinks, a bonfire, foam fingers and live performances.
p. Saturday the 78th homecoming parade will proceed through Colonial Williamsburg toward campus down Duke of Gloucester Street. Starting at 9:30 a.m., student groups will present their ideas to replace former Tribe mascot, Ebirt. “We are thrilled about this theme in particular since it gives the student body an outlet to express their creativity for a new school’s mascot,” Class of 2009 President Kevin Dua said. “We’ll have a member of the official mascot committee sitting on the judging panel taking pictures of the themed floats, ensuring students’ input into the decision-making process.”
p. After a variety of pre- and post-game tailgates sponsored by alumni classes, sororities and fraternities and the UMass football game, the source of noise on campus will transition from cheers emanating from Zable to free tunes from the band Guster, performing at 8 p.m. in the Sunken Garden.
p. While homecoming weekend signals football and school spirit for many, the event is one celebrated by current students and alumni alike. Lauren Katkish ’08, in charge of organizing the Kappa Delta alumni reception, said, “Homecoming is an especially exciting time for sorority members. Recent graduates return to Williamsburg and stay in the chapter houses where bigs, littles, friends and sisters are reunited. New members get the chance to meet the recent graduates who were such a large part of the chapter just a few years ago, and all sisters get to meet graduates from 10, 20 and even 30 to 50 years ago and hear about how William and Mary as well as their sorority has changed.”
p. While many have experienced multiple homecoming celebrations at the College as students and alumni, the Class of 2011 gets set to experience its first. Class of 2001 President Jazmine Piña said, “This is my first homecoming, so I’m really excited for the huge amount of Tribe Pride stuffed into one weekend. I’m also really looking forward to finding out what the new logo is.” Whether the first homecoming celebration or the 45th the current student body and returning alumni have a packed schedule of events to commemorate Tribe Pride. With old students returning, the unveiling of a new logo and hopes for a new mascot, the weekend promises both excitement and anticipation.
p. “Hopefully students will be able to enjoy every single aspect of homecoming,” Dua said. “From buying a shirt, watching Powder Puff and the parade to attending the pep rally, Guster concert and football game — it’s going to be an entertaining week for the entire campus.”