Tailgating Tips that are Borderline Genius

Full article can be found at: http://www.buzzfeed.com/emofly/tailgating-hacks-that-are-borderline-genius

Football season is one of the greatest seasons of the year! As the summer heat fades and the seasons start to change, we exchange our swimsuit and flip flops for face paint, pompoms, and an Aggie game day shirt. 

During this time, Saturdays in Logan, Utah become the best day of the week. Tailgates come down, grills get fired up and pregame festivities abound. To make the most of your home game experience, here are a couple of tips that are boarder line genius to successfully prepare the best football tailgate party. Make sure you grab a good spot and celebrate with the rest of your Aggie family!

PREP and PACK

Plan to arrive plenty of time before the game starts. Start eating about two hours before the game so you have plenty of time to set up and clean up.

 Label your coolers so guests can find drinks easily.

Freeze water bottles to use in place of ice in coolers so you have cold water to drink after they  melt.

Pack a mini first-aid kit into an old prescription bottle or Altoids tin.

SETTING UP CAMP

Float a big random helium balloon on a long string from your car, so friends can find you.

 Use an empty laundry detergent dispenser as a hand-washing station.

Bring a pre-packed set of drawers so everything is handy and organized while you’re cooking.

Don’t be afraid to go overboard on the AGGIE apparel and decorations!

Most importantly, make nice. Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Relax, and have fun!

Always Remember… GO AGGIES!

What Kind of Tailgater are You?

Original article from Everyday by Rachael Ray  

THE ROOKIE

• Oh, there's a game today? You can still score with creativity and a little planning.
• Stop by the convenience store for a disposable cooler, drinks and prepared foods.
• Keep food portable (sandwiches and pizzas, for instance). You'll have fewer supplies, so less mess.
• Know the lay of the land. Grab a map for the best routes, spots for food and drink and pit stops.
• Microwave your eats in the student union, then duck into the college bookstore for team towels or blankets.
• Once you're set up, don't be afraid to scavenge. Beginners typically bum off fellow fans.

THE FIRST-STRINGER

• The fight song has been in your head all week, and you started prepping last night.
• Show up three or four hours before the game to claim a hot spot.
• Know who's doing what. Assign tasks like grill master, garbage collector and bartender.
• Have a game-day kit with everything from first-aid supplies to toilet paper and ponchos.
• Bring two coolers (one for drinks, one for perishables) and a grill. Pack tables, tents, chairs and, if you have one, a portable TV. On a given Saturday there can be over 50 games you don't want guests wandering off for updates.
• Taking inspiration from teams, mascots or cities, theme your spread. Tint drinks with food dye and opt for individual apps (so everyone's not crowded around a bowl of Guacamole).

THE VETERAN

• You've been wearing a team jersey since diapers and can recite stats like the ABCs.
• Take enough food for before and after the game. It'll make the parking-lot-exodus traffic jam much more fun.
• Have checklists of what needs to be done, packed and cooked. A list of guests' phone numbers is also handy.
• Bring more of everything. Think multiple TVs, towable smokers and grills, and hammocks for pregame naps.
• Fanatics are all about the finishing touches, if you really want to be the Clark Griswold of tailgaters, throw in a shade canopy and synthetic turf.
• Organize some tailgating activities. A ring toss, trivia game, horseshoes -- whatever keeps people entertained until those ribs are smoked to perfection.

Clean as a (ref''s) whistle

• Have plenty of garbage bags. Tape them to trees and tent poles, keeping them off the ground so they don't attract bugs.
• Clean as you go. Done with tongs and ladles? Wash and stow them away now. It'll save crucial minutes later.
• When draining melted ice water from the coolers, reserve some for rinsing nondisposable items, hands and faces.
• Scrape down grills before heading to the game, but save the major cleaning for when you get home.

Who starts their tailgate when the sun comes up? We do! Make the most of the wee morning hours with these time-saving tricks.

Day before:

• Choose groceries that do double duty. Salsa will work for Scrambled Egg Burritos with Tex-Mex Salad and with chips; sausage can star with eggs and with peppers in hoagies later.
• Cook ahead. Assemble breakfast casseroles, like Mini Ham and Egg Casseroles or Cheddar and Chile Egg Casserole (bake them off in the morning) and stock up on heat-and-eat goodies like Cinnamon Raisin Rolls.
• Pack (checklist in hand). Don't forget coffee and blankets or space heaters for the morning chill.

Day of:

• Set the alarm to play your team's fight song -- it'll make 5 a.m. more bearable.
• Make early-morning calls to the notorious snooze-button slappers in your crew.
• Mind the time: Allow an hour for breakfast, prep and packing and a half hour for setting up the tailgate.
• Prioritize! Set up important stuff first.
• Leave the last half hour of the tailgate for cleaning and getting to the stadium.

 Article Originally found on Everyday by Rachael Ray 

Are you a Die Hard Aggie Fan?

Calling all Aggies! 

Take this short quiz to see if you're a Die Hard Aggie Fan. Then share it with your friends and see how you compare.

We want to know who loves their Aggies. Good luck!

DIE HARD AGGIE QUIZ

1.  Do you wake up to the Utah State Fight Song every game day?

2.  Do you have this year’s game day shirt ready to wear at all times?

3.  Do you roll up to Romney Stadium in your Aggie License Plates hours before the game to get your tailgate on?

4.  Do you have the football roster memorized a month before the season starts?

5.  Do you commentate the game in your head, as it plays out on the field? 

6.  Can you unleash a flurry of team and player stats on queue?

7.  Is your voice gone at the end of every game because you've shouted the Scotsman and the Fight song at the top of your lungs a few to many times?

8.  Do you look to the “A” on Old Main Hill every time we win, to make sure it's blue?

9.  Is your lifelong dream to be a part of Aggie Athletics?

10.  When saying goodbye, do you always end with…”Go Aggies!” 

How did you do? 

Count the number of times you answered "Yes" to all 10 questions and following the ranking system below to see how you did. 

1 - 4 = Amazing Aggie Fan  

5 - 9 = Enthusiastic Big Blue Fan 

10 =    Ultimate Die Hard Aggie Fan!!! 


Post your score on our Facebook page and see how you match up against other Aggie fans.

The Results Are In!

Homecoming 5K results are here

Congratulations to everyone who ran this year's USU Homecoming 5K. You did a fantastic job! It's hard enough to wake up early on a Saturday to run, but to do it on a windy campus with the looming threat of a rain storm - now that is brave. You should get a trophy just for showing up. 

We also want to thank you for your support of the USU Spirit Squad. Your participation in this race helped provide critical scholarships for our squad members. Your involvement was certainly recognized and sincerely appreciated. 

As promised, we have the official results of the race from last week. Participants are listed in alphabetical order by last name. Take a look and see how you did.

NAME	BIB #	CATEGORY	TIME
Abraham, Clark	1995	Student Male	20:28:00
Adams, Taya	1994	Student Female	32:26:00
Allen, Joshua	1993	Student Male	19:30:00
Allen, Zach	1920	Student Male	20:08:00
Alt, Michael	1992	Student Male	NTR
Anderson, Brian	1916	Student Male	31:18:00
Anderson, Heidi	1917	Student Female	35:34:00
Apo, Dani	158	Adult Female	33:15:00
Ashton, Mikki	101	Adult Female	35:24:00
Audd, Kyle	1991	Student Male	25:56:00
Barnes, Halie	1990	Student Female	32:23:00
Briggs, Mary	1988	Student Female	25:02:00
Brinkerhoff, Emily	1987	Student Female	35:09:00
Brinkerhoff, Guest	1986	Unknown	28:41:00
Browning, Joshua	1985	Student Male	19:41:00
Budge, Stephen	1984	Student Male	26:16:00
Budge, Taya	171	Child	39:12:00
Cannon, Jessica	102	Adult Female	38:30:00
Clark, Lauren	1983	Student Female	32:46:00
Cox, Wade	1982	Student Male	27:10:00
Crane, Brittany	1981	Student Female	53:08:00
Croshaw, Andrew	345	Adult Male	53:24:00
Croshaw, Clark	341	Child	40:54:00
Croshaw, Drew	346	Child	53:23:00
Croshaw, Faith	344	Child	42:01:00
Croshaw, Grant	343	Child	29:49:00
Croshaw, John	342	Child	52:57:00
Croshaw, Vanessa	347	Adult Female	40:55:00
Cunningham, Ariel	1980	Student Female	NTR
Dabling, Jared	146	Adult Male	39:14:00
Dabling, Kelli	145	Adult Female	35:07:00
Dabling, Mitchell	1979	Student Male	28:41:00
Dansereau, Aaron	155	Adult Male	40:55:00
Dansereau, Ashton	157	Child	40:55:00
Dansereau, Maranda	156	Adult Female	45:32:00
Darling, Barbara	103	Adult Female	29:43:00
Darling, Thomas	1978	Student Male	29:04:00
Davis, Jordan	1977	Student Male	26:45:00
Davis, Joshua	1976	Student Male	40:44:00
Davis, Kelsie	1975	Student Female	40:44:00
Decker, Nancy	104	Adult Female	35:15:00
Decker, Richard	105	Adult Male	27:22:00
Diamond, Joshua	1974	Student Male	NTR
Doria, Guest	1972	Unknown	NTR
Doria, Sarah	1973	Student Female	NTR
Duke, Mallorie	1947	Student Female	32:36:00
Dunkley, Craig	142	Adult Male	28:45:00
Dunkley, Kylee	141	Adult Female	53:12:00
Elliot, Shayli	1971	Student Female	NTR
Erickson, Gloria	106	Adult Female	52:33:00
Erickson, Julie	151	Adult Female	28:06:00
Evans, Landon	315	Child	27:17:00
Evans, Mason	318	Child	28:35:00
Evans, Stephanie	316	Adult Female	60:00:00
Evans, Zeke	314	Adult Male	19:58:00
Evjen, Ben	107	Adult Male	25:31:00
Evjen, Natalie	108	Adult Female	25:55:00
Farner, Mikayla	152	Child	26:44:00
Farner, Scott	150	Adult Male	25:01:00
Foust, Lilly	174	Child	NTR
Foust, Lydia	175	Child	34:39:00
Foust, Melissa	172	Adult Female	NTR
Foust, Trevor	173	Adult Male	34:52:00
Fry, Mark	1922	Student Male	NTR
Gillman, Kristi	1969	Student Female	36:02:00
Gittins, Stephanie	111	Adult Female	37:56:00
Gudmundson, Sarah	1968	Student Female	32:46:00
Hansen, Colleen	109	Adult Female	53:42:00
Hansen, Ethan	1902	Student Male	18:38:00
Hansen, Richard	110	Adult Male	53:42:00
Heiner, Andrea	1966	Student Female	53:07:00
Hendricks, Rob	1923	Student Male	27:57:00
Henrie, Paige	1965	Student Female	32:46:00
Herbert, Jeannine	112	Adult Female	37:56:00
Hernandez, Thomas	1950	Student Male	20:40:00
Holmgren, Hilari	1967	Student Female	32:46:00
Ingram, Erik	1964	Student Male	29:03:00
Jensen, Amanda	1901	Student Female	NTR
Jensen, Rebecca	1963	Student Female	36:30:00
Jones, Ashlie	1961	Student Female	28:00:00
Jones, Jedediah	1962	Student Male	26:33:00
Jones, Keith	114	Adult Male	52:19:00
Jordan, Megan	1960	Student Female	25:04:00
Judd, Matthew	1959	Student Male	20:14:00
Lafferty, Vickie	164	Adult Female	NTR
Larson, Brooke	165	Child	NTR
Larson, Elizabeth	167	Adult Female	35:16:00
Larson, Kathleen	163	Adult Female	55:01:00
Larson, Kimberley	115	Adult Female	43:38:00
Larson, Steve	116	Adult Male	31:58:00
Larson, William	166	Adult Male	37:03:00
Liberatom, Adam	348	Adult Male	24:52:00
Louder, Brevin	149	Child	NTR
Ly, Dona	308	Student Male	26:00:00
Madsen, Dax	1958	Student Male	28:41:00
McKinney, Barbara	317	Adult Female	53:47:00
McKinney, Robert	319	Adult Male	48:46:00
Merback, Mackenzie	1957	Student Female	26:50:00
Miller, Guest	124	Unknown	54:32:00
Miller, Guest	125	Unknown	53:07:00
Miller, Megan	123	Adult Female	53:08:00
Minaga, Matt	1949	Student Male	NTR
Neil, Andrew	126	Adult Male	18:37:00
Nelson, Adam	1914	Student Male	NTR
Nelson, Ryan	1952	Student Male	31:47:00
Niederhauser, Terry	118	Adult Male	29:12:00
Nielsen, Louise	168	Adult Female	53:47:00
Nielsen, Monique	169	Adult Female	43:46:00
Nilesen, Ramsey	170	Adult Male	25:50:00
Norr, Lyndsey	128	Adult Female	NTR
Olsen, Daniel	1921	Student Male	18:04:00
Olsen, Russell	1922	Student Male	19:18:00
Osborn, Allison	1946	Student Female	20:19:00
Papke, Natasha	129	Adult Female	45:06:00
Payne, Camille	1948	Student Female	32:28:00
Pierce, Shay	1928	Student Male	20:04:00
Plaizier, Christina	1944	Student Female	38:26:00
Plaizier, Joseph	1943	Student Male	38:26:00
Putnam, Myles	1942	Student Male	29:00:00
Ramos, Sarah	1941	Student Female	34:44:00
Raymond, Ky	1918	Student Male	20:08:00
Rich, Aaron	1940	Student Male	28:12:00
Ritter, Marcus	1939	Student Male	27:55:00
Robins, Dawsey	131	Adult Female	34:27:00
Robins, Jody	132	Adult Male	26:58:00
Roosendaal, Quinn	127	Adult Male	42:51:00
Rosemann, Jace	1951	Student Male	28:13:00
Salisbury, Ron	153	Adult Male	21:24:00
Scoresby, Sarah	1953	Student Female	32:46:00
Sheehan, Brock	121	Child	27:24:00
Sheehan, Devin	122	Child	20:18:00
Sheehan, Kyle	120	Child	25:36:00
Sheehan, Tim	119	Adult Male	NTR
Sheffer, Heather	1924	Student Female	34:13:00
Singleton, Jacob	1937	Student Male	25:20:00
Singleton, Mandy	1938	Student Female	NTR
Smith, Aubrey	1936	Student Female	45:13:00
Smith, Kelsey	162	Child	37:45:00
Smith, Krysten	161	Child	NTR
Smith, Nicky	159	Adult Female	NTR
Smith, Travis	160	Adult Male	NTR
Smullin, Courtney	1954	Student Female	32:46:00
Sorensen, Candice	133	Adult Female	31:20:00
Sorensen, Rebekah	117	Adult Female	30:32:00
Spencer, Shawn	135	Adult Male	33:45:00
Spencer, Travis	136	Child	33:45:00
Stephens, Anthony	137	Adult Male	39:43:00
Stephens, Gregory	139	Adult Male	22:05:00
Stephens, Janalyn	140	Adult Female	NTR
Stephens, Julie	138	Adult Female	NTR
Stewart, Marcia	178	Adult Female	33:07:00
Stewart, Tim	179	Adult Male	27:05:00
Torres, Eric	1934	Student Male	26:16:00
Treglown, Ryan	1927	Student Male	20:04:00
Unidentified Runner	143	Unknown	36:23:00
Unidentified Runner	147	Unknown	46:08:00
Unidentified Runner	148	Unknown	35:46:00
Unidentified Runner	176	Unknown	32:44:00
Unidentified Runner	177	Unknown	25:32:00
Unidentified Runner	309	Unknown	30:54:00
Unidentified Runner	310	Unknown	39:28:00
Unidentified Runner	312	Unknown	26:26:00
Unidentified Runner	313	Unknown	28:05:00
Unidentified Runner	338	Unknown	40:54:00
Unidentified Runner	339	Unknown	51:09:00
Unidentified Runner	340	Unknown	51:02:00
Unidentified Runner	1898	Unknown	34:28:00
Unidentified Runner	1927	Unknown	20:15:00
Unidentified Runner	1955	Unknown	33:32:00
Unidentified Runner	1956	Unknown	34:56:00
Unidentified Runner	1986	Unknown	29:46:00
Unidentified Runner	1988	Unknown	53:08:00
Vaca, Augustin	130	Adult Male	22:04:00
Villagomez, Eva	154	Child	39:22:00
Voorhees, Jami	144	Adult Female	39:23:00
Warren, Janel	1932	Student Female	35:11:00
Watkins, William	1926	Student Male	19:17:00
Welch, Seria	1899	Student Female	35:33:00
Whitaker, Jason	1931	Student Male	34:13:00
Williams, Sarah	1970	Student Female	52:32:00
Wilson, Chad	1930	Student Male	30:51:00
Worsham, Richard	1929	Student Male	19:46:00
Wright, Chase	1919	Student Male	20:06:00
Young, Anthony	1925	Student Male	21:22:00

If you do not see your name on the list above, please let us know. 

Thank you again for your participation. We hope you enjoyed the race and will come back to join us again next year.

Nine Ideas for a Lifetime of Service

Volunteering Begins with 3 questions: when, where and how?

In all stages of life there are opportunities to give back. Would you like to volunteer as  a student, with your family, or after you've retired? Here are nine ideas for a lifetime of service.

A Man's view: 5 Ways to make the most of the game, with kids

I vividly remember our first USU basketball game as a family. It was a chilly, snowy day in Logan.  I dropped the family off at the Spectrum and had to drive quite a distance to find a parking place.  I parked the car and nearly floated to the Spectrum in excitement. As I neared the Spectrum the electricity could be felt from the HYPER fields. However, after finding my family the excitement diminished. Three of my four kids looked quite bored. In fact our oldest daughter (six at the time) never even looked at the court the entire game.  She sat sideways and had a blank stare.  I knew then that something must change. To get the kids ready to love USU sports we did the following things:

Tradition: We started in 1888 and highlighted the 1940s when their great grandparents attended USU and cheered for the Aggies, the 1960s when their grandparents attended and cheered for the Aggies, and the 1990s/2000s when their parents cheered on the Aggies. A favorite story we tell the kids is how Amber and I would meet at the Merrill Library and study together. We have a memorial brick from the library that sits on our bookshelf and reminds us of the beginnings of our family.

Pageantry: Taught them "The Scotsman." Need I say more.

Legendary Moments: Shared stories about memorable Aggie sports moments. For example, one of my favorite basketball memories happened on March 4, 2000. I was in the Spectrum with a capacity crowd to witness the Aggies defeat Boise State and go undefeated in league play. A magical moment.

Aggie Blue: For the next Game we all wore Aggie Blue. For Christmas that year we bought all the kids Game Day T-shirts. The kids were delighted to dress up in their T-shirts for the next game. This definitely helped add to their excitement level.

Bribery: On the way up to the next game we got pizza and ate it on the way up. The kids couldn’t eat the pizza until they practiced yelling out cheers. This definitely made an impression. The kids yelled so loud that game they could hardly talk the next day. Our three-year-old screamed “GO AGGIES” so loud she had everyone sitting by us energized.

Taking the family to Aggie sporting events is a great way to bring up the next generation of Aggies and to relive some of the fun moments from our days as students. Go Aggies!

What works for your family?

Post provided by guest writer and USU alumnus, Kade Minchey '01 

7 Activities to keep your kids moving through winter

Cold weather and fewer daylight hours can make it difficult for kids to get the exercise they need during the winter months. In some areas, families also battle polluted air and inversions that create even more challenges with outdoor activities.

As a parent, you understand the health benefits of an active lifestyle for your kids. You’re also keenly aware of the direct correlation between your sanity level and the means by which your children choose to release their bottled-up energy.

So, how can they get the physical activity they need with the limited options of winter? Here are seven ideas to keep them moving during inclement weather.

Dance. Crank up the music and throw yourselves a dance party. Let them show you their newest moves and before you know it, they’ll be wiping sweat off their brows. By the way, they’ll enjoy it a lot more if mom and dad join the party. Not to mention, dancing is a great way for adults to burn calories, too. Who doesn’t want that?

Clean. Why should you have all fun? Get the kids involved in picking up their toys, sweeping the kitchen floor, vacuuming and anything else they can do to help clean up the house. Tip: music also makes cleaning more fun. If they’ve got the skills to dance while they clean, even better.

Aerobics. Dust off that old Sweatin’ to the Oldies VHS and introduce your kids to the magic of Richard Simmons. While some exercises may be too advanced for your little ones, others will be fun for them to try. They’ll be excited to discover they can do the same things mom and dad can do.

Indoor blacktop. Turn your kitchen or front room into a designated play area. Set guidelines to make sure the games are within reason. Tape hopscotch lines to the floor, start a jump rope club or draw a line for Steal the Bacon.

Make a slide. Grab some sleeping bags or blankets and ride them down the stairs. As with any activity, there is potential for injury, so be sure to monitor them. The hike back up the stairs each time will definitely get their hearts pumping.

Build a fort. The beauty of a fort is that it can be made from just about anything. Be creative with this one. If you encourage them to make it big enough, you can join them inside when construction is finished.

Wrestle. Like all the others, this option is up to you. Some parents prefer to keep wrestling out of the house, if allowing it at all. This is also more challenging as your kids get older, bigger and stronger. Especially when they’re stronger than you. I have yet to meet a dad who likes to lose to his son in a friendly wrestling match. However, when they’re still little it is fun to stir up a good match of “Tickle Monster” every once in a while.

These are just a handful of ideas to keep your kids moving this winter when going outdoors may not be a reasonable option. I’m sure many of you use a number of others. We’d love to know what creative ideas you’ve come up with to keep your kids active.

What works for you?

Finding Balance

Regardless of where you live and your occupation, there is something we all have in common:   the need for more balance.  How do we balance work, family, civic and community responsibilities, ecclesiastical service, and – heaven forbid we forget – relaxation and enjoyment?

We don’t claim to have all the answers.  But we have resources that shed a little light on the issue.  One of those resources is glassdoor.com, which takes an inside look at jobs and companies.  If you haven’t visited this website before, you might find it interesting.

Juggling life in the office and life at home is a trying task.  And during the recession (when employees were expected to work longer and harder), this juggle has become even harder.  At the end of the day, how do we ensure a healthy and balanced lifestyle?

Perhaps we should take a look at some companies who provide an attractive work-life balance.  True, the majority of us may not work at these companies, but we can identify some important stepping stones that can be implemented within our lifestyle.  So where can you find those companies that provide an attractive work-life balance? Here’s the list of the top 10, according to glassdoor.com.

               Mitre
               North Highland
               Agilent Technologies
               SAS
               CareerBuilder
               REI
               National Instruments
               LinkedIn
               FactSet
               United Space Alliance

If you’re looking for a little more stability between your work and home life, take a closer look at some of these companies, as well as others in your area.  In the end, balance is most important.  A healthy sense of balance can help everyone feel more satisfied at work, and at home.  Additionally, it can reduce high-stress and increase productivity and creativity.  So, check it out.  See if there are ways you can implement greater balance in your life.

What other organizations have you worked for that provided a good work-life balance?

Written by Craig Whyte

A woman's view: 5 Ways to get the most out of the game, with kids

As my family and I have attended USU events (sporting and otherwise) I have learned through out each event how I can make it better/easier/more enjoyable with and for my kids.  At USU sporting events it is hard to miss families getting along and enjoying themselves.  So, I try to observe for a few moments how these families are “getting along” with their kids at the events.  I try to see what is making it work for them (food, activities, personal attention) so that I can hopefully use it sometime or immediately with our family while we are out.  These are a few things that I have come up with:

Bring plenty of Snacks/Treats with you to the event - Food is always a good way to entertain, distract, and make people happy!  Especially Kiddos!  Easy snacks to bring with you to a game would be: bottled water, little juice packs, fruit snacks, granola bars, dry cereal in a baggie, string cheese, pretzels.  Basically anything that is easy and light for you to tuck in your bag.  Make sure you follow the rule: “pack out what you pack in”.

Make sure you wear your Aggie Gear - Our kids LOVE to have anything “Aggie” to wear at any time of the week.  We especially like to make sure we wear our Aggie gear to the games that we attend.  I love getting ready for a game and our kids are running around the house searching for their shirts and making sure the other sibling has found their own shirt to wear.  Wearing “Aggie Gear” also helps the kids to feel like they are a part of the game and they will want to participate more with cheering and enjoying their time.

Talk to them about the game before hand - USU is a big part of our lifestyle between education, sports, volunteering, and being an Alumni…so it is not unusual for us to have conversations with our kids or at least in ear shot range of our kids about USU and what is going on with it.  Our kids know when/where/what we are doing when we are heading for a game or an event with USU.  They have been prepared for the fun & excitement of the event.  We also place expectations on them….they know that we are all at the game to watch and listen to it.  They know that we are going to try and stay the entire game, and they know that we will cheer and support the USU team playing.

Cheer Loud & Enjoy Game - With all the time that was needed to prepare to get to the game (planning, driving, food, etc)….you need to make sure that when you are there you are enjoying it!  When we are excited about the game/event we are attending our kids are so much more excited about attending it with us.  We also tell our kids that this is a place where they CAN be LOUD!  We are always telling them to talk more softly….NOT AT THE GAMES THOUGH!  We encourage them to be very loud.  It’s fun to hear/see them cheer loudly.

Have a Love for USU - We have found as long as we are excited and have a true love for something…it can become contagious.  Our kids already LOVE USU and they love any event that we participate in with USU.

I hope these suggestions will help you get your kids/family up to a USU sporting event soon!  It is a great way to create “Future Aggies” and family memories.

What works for your family?

Post provided by guest writer and alumna Amber Minchey '01