University of Houston Athletics
Coog Crew New Student Organization Supporting UH Athletics
7/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | General
July 27, 2005
HOUSTON - Cougar Pride and the University's athletics department are now sponsoring a new student-fan organization called Coog Crew. In preparation for the 2005-06 year, Coog Crew was organized during the spring and will kick off its first season as the organization for Houston students to get involved to get involved with Cougar athletics when school begins in August.
Coog Crew was created by current University of Houston students with two main objectives: to get the students involved in UH athletics, and build the Cougar fan base.
"I think it is important for the athletic program at the University of Houston to get the students more involved," said Coog Crew president Steven Chiara. "It all starts with the students, because if we get more people out to the game then once those students graduate they are going to keep coming back and the fan base attending the games will just grow and grow."
Coog Crew provides an instant social group of friends for those who love the University and its athletics. This makes it possible for any student who has nobody to go to the game with to now have a large group of friends to hang out with at each sporting event.
"This is a great way to meet people on campus, if you like going to sporting events then this is a great thing for you," said Chiara. That includes those students who already attend games with their sorority, fraternity, or whatever group they may be involved with.
"We want Houston to be organized as a student body," said Chiara. "It's great that there are different groups of students that come out to the games, but we want to get all of the students together to unite all the Cougar student fans."
Becoming a member is cheap and easy. For just $15 per person, University students get a membership in Coog Crew, a Coog Crew T-shirt, seating in reserved student sections at home games, a Coog Crew only discount card, and invitations to special Coog Crew social events.
However, students that sign up in groups of 10 or more can get everyone in their group registered with all the Coog Crew benefits for just $12 per person.
The first official social was held over the spring during a home baseball that brought out more then 50 students, had food courtesy of Skeeter's Mesquite Grill, and helped cheer the Cougars on to a victory over Saint Louis.
To help start the 2005 Cougar Football season off right, Coog Crew is sponsoring the Coog Crew Football Season Kick Off on Aug. 31, the night before Houston's first 2005 regular season game against the Oregon Ducks at Reliant Stadium.
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The Kick Off will get underway at 5 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Athletics/Alumni Center on the main campus of the University. Head Coach Art Briles will speak to those in attendance, as will Dr. Bott and Houston Athletics Director Dave Maggard. There will also be free food, prize give-aways, a place to pick up your ticket for the Oregon game, and the University of Houston band, the Houston cheerleaders, and the Cougar Dolls will be there too.
If you are not a Coog Crew member by Aug. 31, you can sign up at the Kick Off, but you don't even have to be in Coog Crew to attend Kick Off. "We want every fan of the University of Houston excited for the season, so we just want to get as many people out there as possible to show our support to the players and coaches," said Chiara.
Starting at 5:30 p.m., the players will be heading to the buses and those at the Kick Off will be there to see the team off before the next day's opening game.
Many more activities such as the Kick Off will be put on throughout the season to get students enthused about UH athletics and being a Cougar. Tailgating will take place at all home games and the Coog Crew will be traveling to New Orleans to cheer Houston on against Tulane on Oct. 7.
"Students that sign up this year have the opportunity to be one of the founding members of an organization that is going to have a great impact at the games," said Coog Crew member and Secretary Robert Wiley. "It's the students who bring the school spirit to games because we are the University. We want to get as many students out to the games as possible to bring the type of enthusiasm that only students can bring."
To become a member of Coog Crew you can come to the Coog Crew Football Season Kick Off, contact James Nicas with Cougar Pride, or talk to a Coog Crew member at any of the six Houston home games this fall.
