Each year, students look forward to the excitement Homecoming offers. ISU students and alumni come together to tailgate and many go to the Homecoming game on Saturday.

But before that, students can make Homecoming last even longer by participating in the annual Homecoming tournaments.

This year, Jake Venner and Krissy Leinen are in charge of planning and organizing the Homecoming tournaments. Venner is a junior in biological systems engineering and Leinen is a senior studying art education.

While the majority of greek members partake in the tournaments, a few of the events are also open to other students, the co-chairpersons said.

“Cardinal division activities are only open to greek members,” Venner said. “Gold division events are open to non-greek members as well.”

The events open to the gold division are basketball, volleyball and Nintendo 64, which includes Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros.

Nintendo is one of the new activities offered this year. Other new activities include wiffle ball and bowling.

“Bowling will be at the Memorial Union,” Leinen said. “And the Nintendo 64 tournament will be at the ISU Alumni Center.”

Some other unique activities that have been done in the past include laser tag at Perfect Games in west Ames and treds football, which is a mix between football and ultimate Frisbee.

Another cardinal division event the greek community looks forward to is Olympics night.

“The Olympics consists of tug-of-war, ice-cream eating, foosball, dodge ball and bowling,” Venner said.

Despite the majority of tournaments being held at Lied Recreation Athletic Center, intramurals put on by Recreation Services are still going on, said Assistant Director of Facilities Doug Arrowsmith.

“Intramurals are scheduled around the Homecoming tournaments,” Arrowsmith said. “Some of Recreation Services officials will be helping out with refereeing, but it’s mostly run by the Homecoming committee.”

Homecoming tournaments started last Tuesday and run until Thursday. For a complete list of activities and schedules, go to www.isusalc.org/en/homecoming_2011/tournaments.