Ouachita Stories

The Ouachita Student Foundation (OSF) at Ouachita Baptist University will host the university’s annual Tiger Traks competition on April 8-9 on Ouachita’s campus.

“Traks is going to be a great weekend for students to participate in different activities,” said OSF Co-president Callie Stephens, a senior mass communications major from Arkadelphia, Ark. “You don't have to be an athlete to win Traks, you just have to have fun and get dirty!”

“Traks isn't just for students,” Stephens explained. Faculty and staff are welcome to participate and they can also join teams with students. Each team must include eight members, and no more than four men may be on one team.

During Traks weekend, competing is not the only way to participate.

“If you don't think you’re competitive enough to compete with a team in Traks, it's always fun to support the other teams,” Stephens encouraged.

Planned events include an egg toss, ice fishing, a game center, basketball relay and Tiger Trek on Friday evening. For Saturday, Traks participants should look forward to a mega-relay, raft races, mud volleyball and mud tug-of-war. Each year the mud pit always seems to be the biggest hit.

At the end of the competition, $100 is rewarded to each member on the first place team, $75 is rewarded to each member on the second place team and $50 is rewarded to each individual on the third place team. There are plenty of other categories the teams can also win such as most sportsmanlike, most team spirit and most creative costumes.

Traks would not be able to happen if it were not for the hard work and dedication of many individuals. Jessica Winston and Kayla Kagel serve as co-chairs of OSF’s special events committee and have coordinated the majority of Tiger Traks. They have had the help of Tim Harrell, staff coordinator for the special events committee of OSF, and Michael Paulk, current OSF co-president and former special events committee co-chair.

Proceeds from Tiger Traks are given back to students at Ouachita in the form of scholarships. OSF’s motto is “Students helping Students,” and Traks is one way of accomplishing that goal.

“Tiger Traks is going to be crazy and organized fun,” Stephens said. “There are always so many students with their friends engaging in friendly competition in games that anyone can play. Teams cheer on other teams; it's a blast to watch and participate.”

For more information, contact Michael Paulk at [email protected] or Tim Harrell at [email protected].

By Meg Gosser