Yell Like Hell sells spirit

Sydney Smith
October 16, 2007

Shouts, stomps and cheers reverberated throughout the Memorial Union as Yell Like Hell participants competed in the first round of elimination this year for the top seven spots to take them to semifinals on Wednesday night.

Grinning, red-faced and sweaty, groups filed out of the Great Hall in the union, while fresh, nervous and excited groups filed in to give it their best shot within their allotted five minutes in front of a panel of judges.

“[The competition] was a huge adrenaline rush,” said Mikayla Rohde, Yell Like Hell participant and freshman in speech communication. “It was so much fun.”

The competitors were 13 groups of sororities and fraternities teamed together so that approximately every group had the same amount of participants.

During the competition, the groups acted out skits in a semi-choreographed, high-energy performance that was judged on pep, creativity, expression and contribution to the overall theme of 150 years.

The groups had been practicing six hours a week since the beginning of September, said Ashley Watson, a participant in Yell Like Hell and freshman in dietetics.

“It was so much work I almost got sick of it,” Watson said. “But the better we got, the funner it became – it felt so good to finally perform.”

Yell Like Hell is an event held annually during Homecoming week that has been a tradition at Iowa State for more than 30 years, said Jinny Millhollin, general co-chair of the Homecoming committee and senior in food science.

The competing groups vie for bragging rights, as well as points that go toward the Cardinal Division of a Homecoming tournament that includes participation in the blood drive, several sports competitions, spirit displays and more.

“It’s nerve-racking because such a huge chunk of our house Homecoming points are from Yell Like Hell,” Rohde said.

Adam Theis, general co-chairman of the Homecoming committee and junior in agricultural business, said although Yell Like Hell has been a typically greek-oriented event in the past, nongreeks are welcome to participate.

According to the Homecoming activities guide, participation of student organizations and residence halls is encouraged.

Despite this, no nongreek students participated in the tournament this year.

“Because [the event is primarily greek], some people don’t come to watch – if they did, they’d be aware of how much fun it really is,” Theis said.

The event ran for approximately two-and-a-half hours, with a short break for judges to give their ears a rest.

Judging continued past 10:30 p.m. to determine the seven teams that would move on to the second round of competition.

The semifinals for these groups will be held on Wednesday night on Central Campus.

Three groups will be chosen to continue to the finals, which will take place on Friday, during the Homecoming pep rally.

Groups will also have the option of performing before the Homecoming football game, according to the guide.

Theis said the competition, whose events are intertwined throughout the Homecoming week, is for students to get together for a spirit-packed, Cyclone tradition-packed event.

“The first priority is to have fun and to instill tradition in Iowa State students,” Theis said. “It’s really amazing.”

Pairings advancing to the next round