Red and gold filled the stadium for the annual rivalry game against the University of Iowa on Saturday. Unknown to most, the object every fan had their eye on, the ball, traveled quite a distance in the hands of cadets before arriving at the game.

Marking its 28th anniversary Friday, the Army ROTC Game Ball Run made its way to Tama, Iowa, where cadets from the University of Iowa would transfer the ball to cadets from Iowa State.  

AROTC cadets enjoyed a picnic lunch at 11 a.m. at the halfway point between the rival campuses.

In a release announcing the annual run, Jessica Bales, AROTC public affairs officer wrote, “The experience builds camaraderie between the two campuses’ ROTC programs, while still encouraging the friendly rivalry.”

After the picnic, ISU AROTC cadets ran the game ball through several towns in Iowa, including Colo, Marshalltown and State Center.  

Francis Kelly, senior in mechanical engineering, participated in the run his freshman year and again this year.

Kelly was eager to join his freshman year because of how fondly the upperclassmen had talked about the run. He would have participated in the run his junior year if the available spaces hadn’t filled up so fast.

Kelly said he enjoyed the camaraderie with the Iowa ROTC program and that it also gave him an opportunity to better get to know his fellow cadets.

Aleczander Martys, sophomore in construction engineering and AROTC cadet, has participated in the annual run for the last three years.

Running about a mile in each town, Iowa State’s AROTC cadets carried the university’s flag as they shouted cadences to help excite everyone for the big football game.

Martys recalled one of his favorite memories from a previous year, which was leading the run through downtown Marshalltown as he carried the flag and shouted cadences. Martys enjoyed seeing everyone get so excited.

David Pauls, junior in kinesiology and health, also enjoyed running through Marshalltown.

“My favorite experience during the run was probably the run through Marshalltown,” Pauls said. “We ran to the veteran’s home, and I got the opportunity to call cadence. It was pretty fun to just be in charge of all that, and have all those guys [AROTC cadets] yelling back at me.”

Another stop the cadets made on their journey back to Jack Trice was a trip to the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.

“We got the opportunity to go all over Iowa,” Pauls said. “We ended up stopping at one of the veteran’s home, the only veteran home that’s in Iowa, and we got the chance to speak to some of the veterans there. It was a really great opportunity, not only to represent our program but to connect with the people who served before us.”

Martys explained the importance of the visit.

“We [stop there to] give them some of our time since they gave us theirs,” Martys said.

When the battalion finally arrived at Jack Trice at about 5 p.m., it ran one last time back to the Armory, game ball in hand.

The game ball was then given to the coaches at the stadium at a later time.

“The best thing about the Cy-Hawk Game Ball Run is probably just coming together as programs,” Pauls said. “Even though we’re football rivalries, we are all the same Army, and it’s great to have the opportunity to connect with our brothers in the same state.”