By Zachary Bonner, Assistant News Editor
The “Nerf Battle to end all Nerf Battles” took place Friday, Sept. 29, at Trax from 8 p.m. to midnight. The event was sponsored by SU Nerf, a club on campus that runs Nerf related events and games.
The entirety of Trax was filled with barricades and walls, and an arena was created to hold the battle of the two teams.
“I wasn’t a participant in any of the battles, as I’m not sure how Nerf games are run,” said senior Emily Shellenberger, “but I’m very glad that Trax allows campus organizations to use their space to run inclusive events.”
Each member of the five person teams was equipped with a Nerf gun and protective glasses, and sashes that denoted their team color, pink or green.
Then, they were cordoned off in two separate sides of the battlefield. A flag was placed on the stage, and the teams had to compete to capture it and bring it back to their base.
The game consisted of different rounds whose rules varied, and each game was ten minutes in length.
Students came from all different walks of life on campus, with different levels of preparedness for the battle.
Students were provided with blasters and protective gear by the Trax staff, but others went above and beyond.
“People seemed really excited when they came in,” recalled junior Justice Bufford, “A team of [Phi Mu Delta brother] came in full team outfits, and one person even brought full on gear of some kind.”
Students could show up to see how the battle worked even if they didn’t have a team and get put onto a team that need players.
Those who signed up in teams were given a preselected time-slot and pitted against one another. Despite the set schedule, many people who had already played stayed after their slotted time.
“People generally were ready to have a good time,” Bufford continued, “I also noticed that a lot of teams decided to stay well after their time-slot in order to play a couple more rounds as long as there was space for them.”
The DJ played music fit for a battlefield and Trax student manager James Foster officiated the game, called people out when they were shot and commentated each match.
Buckets containing Nerf darts were placed strategically across the floor and moved around as the time in each match ran down to zero.
“My team and I had the last available time slot at the end of the night,” said sophomore Manny Binford, “It was an awesome mix of capture the flag and a typical Nerf battle.”
The event was run through the SU Nerf club, a club on campus that is officially recognized by the Student Government Association, which provides a safe play environment for students interested in Nerf and related games.
The club allows students to bring their own equipment to meetings and events, and even allows for modified blasters if they fall under certain safety regulations.
“I’m very proud of my club for what we accomplished,” said Matt Washlick, president of SU Nerf, “I was scared at the beginning of the night that thing would fall apart, but more and more people came through.”
According to the attendees and the organizers, the Nerf Battle at Trax was a rousing success. “This was a historic event for SU Nerf, and Trax,” Washlick continued, “I realized that the many hours of preparation and planning had finally paid off.”
The first annual battle was a good start for SU Nerf this semester and allowed the club to garner more campus-wide interest.
“We’re still very small, as most of our frequent members have graduated,” Washlick explained, regarding their influence on campus, “but usually you’ll find us out on Seibert lawn, hosting smaller battles, scenarios, and challenges.”
To get involved with SU Nerf, contact Matt Washlick at washlick@susqu.edu. You can also follow the Susquehanna Nerf Organization’s Facebook page to find out information about further events.
The Trax staff will be hosting two more events this weekend as the school gears up for mid-term break.
The Escape Room event will take place Friday, Oct. 6 and feature several types of room one has to “escape” from.
The second event is the Su Rave sponsored by the SAC. It will be hosted on Oct. 7th at 10 p.m. and feature DJ Almand.
