In frat versus frat, competition is key
Rivalry 'inherent' to Greek system, encourages house loyalty, unity
Andy Buss
Issue date: 9/11/08 Section: Focus
College would not be the same without fraternities, and fraternities would not be the same without competition and rivalry for spice.
"I kind of joke around and say the day the fraternity was invented, the next day Greek rivalry was invented," junior Alpha Tau Omega fraternity President Blake Halseide said.
With the athletics of Greek Week and the struggle for the highest grade point average of the Scholarship Cup, competition is built into the Greek system. It allows for members of different houses to both find their niche, and take pride in their house, Greeks said.
"We take it [Scholarship Cup] pretty seriously," junior Sigma Chi fraternity President Dylan Kessler said. "Not to win the cup, but because we take pride in our academic endeavors."
While the fraternities do keep track of the standings of the Scholarship Cup, Greek Week in recent years has been a different story.
"Greek Week last year wasn't taken too seriously," Halseide said. "It kind of broke down."
Though the Alpha Tau Omegas seriously compete in the games, whether they win or lose is not of huge concern - it's all in fun, Halseide said.
The Delta Sigma Phi fraternity takes on a similar attitude with the games, said senior President Dan Baldwin, but he claims their reason is unique.
"It's pretty hard to have bad blood when you kick everyone else's butt," Baldwin joked.
The jokes and competition make the fraternities what they are.
"Competing for members, competing for guys - it's kind of inherent to the system," Hal- seide said.
Baldwin agrees.
"We have fun with the other frats," he said. "There's definitely a competitive spirit between us four."
Another area providing some rivalry is intramural sports around campus.
"There's certainly competition when it comes to rush and IM sports," Kessler said.
"The IM - that gets pretty heated, especially IM basketball against the other houses," Hal- seide said. "We try to get all our members out there to support our house. We get our flag on the sidelines. Guys get pretty pumped up about that."
Whether it's sports, grades or trying to get the cream of the crop during rush each year, when it comes to Hillsdale's fraternities, iron sharpens iron.
"I kind of joke around and say the day the fraternity was invented, the next day Greek rivalry was invented," junior Alpha Tau Omega fraternity President Blake Halseide said.
With the athletics of Greek Week and the struggle for the highest grade point average of the Scholarship Cup, competition is built into the Greek system. It allows for members of different houses to both find their niche, and take pride in their house, Greeks said.
"We take it [Scholarship Cup] pretty seriously," junior Sigma Chi fraternity President Dylan Kessler said. "Not to win the cup, but because we take pride in our academic endeavors."
While the fraternities do keep track of the standings of the Scholarship Cup, Greek Week in recent years has been a different story.
"Greek Week last year wasn't taken too seriously," Halseide said. "It kind of broke down."
Though the Alpha Tau Omegas seriously compete in the games, whether they win or lose is not of huge concern - it's all in fun, Halseide said.
The Delta Sigma Phi fraternity takes on a similar attitude with the games, said senior President Dan Baldwin, but he claims their reason is unique.
"It's pretty hard to have bad blood when you kick everyone else's butt," Baldwin joked.
The jokes and competition make the fraternities what they are.
"Competing for members, competing for guys - it's kind of inherent to the system," Hal- seide said.
Baldwin agrees.
"We have fun with the other frats," he said. "There's definitely a competitive spirit between us four."
Another area providing some rivalry is intramural sports around campus.
"There's certainly competition when it comes to rush and IM sports," Kessler said.
"The IM - that gets pretty heated, especially IM basketball against the other houses," Hal- seide said. "We try to get all our members out there to support our house. We get our flag on the sidelines. Guys get pretty pumped up about that."
Whether it's sports, grades or trying to get the cream of the crop during rush each year, when it comes to Hillsdale's fraternities, iron sharpens iron.
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