Class organizes event, offering gift cards and Browns tickets to winners

With Kent State on the road this weekend, the best football on campus took place at the Liquid Crystal Field during a student run punt, pass and kick competition Saturday.

Participants paid $5 for a chance to punt, pass and kick the farthest, as part of the event organized by students in the Program Design and Evaluation Class within the department of recreation, park and tourism management. One male and one female winner of the competition won Cleveland Browns tickets, and the winner of each individual category won a gift card to a local business.

Freshman sports administration major Josh Filzer and sophomore pre-nursing major Carl Scott got into the competitive spirit.

Scott beat Filzer by five feet in the overall competition so they both tried a second time.

“I don’t want to take last place by five feet,” Filzer said.

After trying for a second time, Filzer still lost.

“I’m not one to boast,” Scott said in response to winning twice.

High school senior Eric Mitchell gave the college students a run for the Browns tickets. Mitchell was in town visiting his friends on campus and decided to give the event a try since he is the kicker for Coshocton High School.

He averaged more than 200 feet on his punt and kick and won the overall competition for the males. Many students in attendance joked that he should join Kent State’s football team.

Graduate student in biology and former Kent State football player Mike Mondfredi came to give his best at the event. Mondfredi, who didn’t finish in the top of any category, said that he wasn’t going to be very good at the kicking portion.

“I’m worried about all these kickers,” he said. “I think I have a decent shot with the throw.”

In the female competition, senior English major Erin Rinearson came to the event to support her friend in the Program Design and Evaluation class. Rinearson wore winter boots while taking part in the event.

“I didn’t feel like changing shoes,” she said. “I think these shoes actually made my kicks go further.”

Her style earned her a $20 gift card, as she won the longest kick for the females.

Senior tourism management major Mary Kate Parkinson practiced with her father before the event because she wanted to win Browns tickets. But once she watched other females participate, she ended up paying twice so she had a better chance at winning. Parkinson went home empty-handed.

“For a girl I did mediocre,” she said. “I really want to win those tickets, but I probably didn’t win.”

Junior tourism management major Brad Fellenstein came up with the idea to put on a punt, pass and kick competition for his Program Design and Evaluation class. He said his high school did the event before football games.

“We wanted to do an event that was in season,” Fellenstein said. “We also wanted to do a sporting event, so football it was.”

Sophomore adventure education major Andrew Pallotta helped put on the event for his class and he was very satisfied with the way it turned out.

“Everyone has a good time today,” he said. “Everyone was smiling and having fun.”

Contact student recreation and wellness reporter Melissa Sidebotham at [email protected].