With the pulsing energy of deafening techno beats and cheers of over a thousand students, faculty and community spectators, the 22nd year of Lee University's Dorm Wars competition began on the night of October 13, 2014.
Every year students paint their faces, decorate signs and thematically dress themselves in order to compete in the largest campus wide event of the year. The competition consists of events such as a three legged race, sack race and wheelbarrow race, as well as an obstacle course and the pièce de résistance of the evening'the shopping cart race.
Training for the event takes time and commitment said Timothy Washington, a Bowdle/O'Bannon team member.
"We had long hours of practice every day, [but the coaches] pushed us," Washington said.
Aside from the bragging rights of being Dorm Wars champions, all of the dorms were also competing in the event for the chance to win money for the charity of their choosing. First place winners received $500, second place $300 and third place received $200.
The introduction, which kicks off the event, consists of competing teams gathering onto the arena floor and doing a choreographed dance to be judged and added to their overall score for the entire competition.
Split into two categories of male and female victors, the fight for the top spot became a battle of brawn vs. babes as the three-time defending champions of team Bowdle/O'Bannon came to defend their title against the underdog team of Medlin Hall. During their introduction dance, Medlin proved "it's all about the kids," as they led kids from the local Boys and Girls Club, the charity for which they were competing, onto the floor.
Grant Gregory, Bowdle/O'Bannon team member, said competing on behalf of their chosen charities gave extra motivation to the teams.
"It was all for a higher cause," Gregory said.
Though the competing team members played a large part in the electric atmosphere of the Walker Arena, they weren't the only ones getting involved. Phil Cook, vice president of enrollment and master of ceremonies of the night's festivities, encouraged the audience to post tweets and pictures on Instagram and Twitter under the hashtag Dorm Wars 2014.
Student Michael Colander tweeted, "Walker Arena got so loud last night that me and @PhilCook111 almost got hit with part of the ceiling. #DormWars2014 brought the house down!"
The night was filled with Peter Pan moonwalking, faculty lumberjacks, circus performers and even a lion or two. After literally bringing down the roof down, the victors of Dorm Wars were crowned.
For the men, Bowdle/O'Bannon once again captured the win, while the Medlin men came in a respectable second place and New Hughes completed the winners circle with a third place title.
The women of dorm wars dressed up creatively according to themes that were filled with throwbacks and allusions from childhood classics. The combined team of Simmons/Nora Hall acted as ring leaders for the "Snora Circus," Sharp Davis touted Batman as their theme, and Storms Hall harkened back to the 1993 movie, "The Sandlot," filling the arena with shouts of, "you're killin' me smalls!"
In the end, there was only one winner. Atkins-Ellis Hall, who charged into the arena with flips and thrills to the beat of the "Divergent," theme music, won first place in a hard battle against the second place winner Storms Hall and third place winner Sharp/Davis Hall.
Mikaela Clements, an Atkins-Ellis team member, said that it was absolutely amazing to win.
Student Danielle Smith captured the moment when tweeting, "Ears ringing, throat burning, pride soaring. Dorm Wars."
Meagan Allen, resident director of Storms Hall, said Storms Hall residents played hard and that she was really proud of her team. However, she also alluded that the reason dorms compete in an event such as Dorm Wars is for more than just the title of Dorm Wars Champion.
"Our student body has a big heart, and they can fight for [the causes] of others through their service in this event," Allen said.
