Rec center revives kids’ TV show for students

Jessica Leahy, freshman photo illustration major and a member of the team Gutsy Gurlz, navigates her way through the Elastic Jungle in the Basic Training obstacle course during GUTS at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center Friday. Students participat

Credit: Jason Hall

Hundreds of students got a chance to test their intestinal fortitude as they competed in athletic events that Mike O’Malley himself would have been proud to host.

Nearly 400 people attended Kent State’s version of the once-popular game show “GUTS” at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center Friday night.

The event featured 50 teams, consisting of five players each, competing for a chance to take home the trophy, a “glowing” piece of the Aggro Crag constructed by maintenance workers at the rec center.

Many players came up with creative team names such as The O’Malleys, The Craggers and Ur GUTS Are Mine as a salute to the game show, which aired on Nickelodeon from 1992-95.

Employees at the rec center put forth their best effort to replicate six of the events featured on the actual show. Events included an obstacle course, a bungee cord sprint and the Aggro Crag, the signature final event of the TV show.

Much like the show, each team chose a different player to participate in each of the events.

Players had to navigate their way through the Elastic Jungle in the Basic Training obstacle course, protect a goal from flying balls in Flash Attack and swim innertubes across the pool in Totally Tubular.

Freshman exploratory major Chris Bowen said the events were not quite as easy as they looked.

“It’s hard,” he said. “But it’s a fun mix of everything.”

Despite the difficult nature of some of the events, participants seemed to enjoy the night.

“It was a rush to do my best,” said Sarah Czaplicki, freshman early childhood education major and participant in the Basic Training event. “I’m glad I did it though.”

Some players seemed to enjoy having a chance to compete with other people.

“I have to win,” said Ricky Brooks, senior sports management major and member of the Ineligible Playaz. “I’ll push my mother over in the obstacle course to win.”

Many players had big aspirations for winning the trophy.

“We’ll probably take (the trophy) right to the bar,” junior marketing major Jason Krouse said. “I’m gonna pick up chicks with the Crag.”

Other teams had more subtle plans for celebrating victory.

“We’ll all take pictures with it,” said Chris Patrick, freshman business management major and member of The Craggers. “We’ll put it in one of our rooms and cherish it because it’s a piece of history.”

Though the evening seemed to go smoothly, there were a few kinks in the planning.

“Some events are taking longer and some are much faster,” said Paula Murray, assistant director of marketing. “But everyone’s happy.”

The event that took the longest for players to complete was the Madd Trax, an event in which players ran in moon boots, rode a tricycle backward, spun around on a baseball bat before running to a scooter to finish the race.

After nearly three-and-a-half hours of fun and games, Four Guys and a Girl were declared the winners and rightful owners of the Aggro Crag.

Students said they enjoyed having an on-campus activity on the weekends.

“It’s a good alternative rather than going out,” freshman nursing major Victoria Peacock said. “And we get to meet new people.”

Contact recreation services reporter Sean Daugherty at [email protected].