Trojans and Big Horns ready to kick-off for charity

Annual residence soccer game tonight, Oct. 15

Henry Whitfield, Staff Contributor

The varsity sports season is in full swing. Football is back, and midterms are just around the corner, but in Risley and Howe Hall residences, students are getting ready for one of their biggest nights of the year.

The annual residence soccer game, now in its fourth year, pits the two rival residences against each other in a match of immense proportions.

While most athletic teams at Dalhousie struggle to fill the stands, this event packs them, and the crowd becomes a sea of orange and red.

The game was created to bring even more awareness to the annual spring residence hockey game, an event that has now risen over $55,000 for the IWK over the last three years. The soccer game has become a starting point for residences and helps bond residents together early in the year.

“For Risley and Howe, this is one of the first big events and it allows residents to say ‘This is us.’ It helps build identity,” says Carla Britten, residence life manager at Risley Hall. “It helps build spirit. It starts to create a momentum in the building right from the get-go, for the school year.”

“Even for those that have never played soccer, this gives students a chance to show their pride,” says Britten.

“It provides an opportunity for those residents who are not into hockey, to get out and have fun,” says Matt Robinson, residence life manager at Howe Hall and former player on the team. “Soccer is obviously a massive game and it’s a sport that is inclusive, allowing many of our international students an opportunity to identify and get out there.”

“At Howe in particular: we’ve seen this event and the Charity Face-off (hockey game) become bookends to the school year, and in partnership with council we’re able to have a hugely successful event.”

Although the game may not be varsity level, the quality of the play is strong and the atmosphere is through the roof.

The game starts at 7:30 p.m. on Wickwire Field, and tickets are available in both residence’s, while some will be available at the door.