The annual flag football season at California Baptist University energizes many students across campus with anticipation for the upcoming Fortuna Bowl Nov. 9 during CBU’s Parent and Family Weekend.
The 2019 intramural flag-football season started on Sept. 16 and continued through Oct. 24. Flag football is one of the most popular intramural sports CBU offers, in which men and women each have their own competitive league. Both leagues, however, will ultimately face off in the championship game of the season.
Tyler Cox, director of Recreation Programs, said he has been anticipating the upcoming weekend of Fortuna Bowl and CBU Parent and Family Weekend.
“We start planning each of these events a month after the previous Fortuna Bowl weekend occurs, so typically we spend around 11 months preparing for the events. We provide different equipment and repaint all the end zones in the field” Cox said. “Each year we try to spice things up and add new features, including different items to give out as giveaways, firework shows and different halftime shows.”
During the 2019 CBU Parent and Family Weekend. starting Nov. 8, parents have the opportunity to interact with the faculty. There will be various food trucks from the community and an American Ninja Warrior course on the Front Lawn.
For the Fortuna Bowl game the women’s league game will start at 5 p.m. and the men’s league starts at 7 p.m.
Gigi Dinanta, junior marketing major and vice president of the Associated Students of CBU, said she always looks forward to Fortuna Bowl and Parent and Family Weekend.
“Fortuna Bowl is this long-standing tradition at CBU, where the top two teams competing in flag football have their final showdown. There are four teams in total—evenly split we have a women’s and a men’s game,” Dinanta said. “It’s a big show to see which team will come out the victor.”
Another benefit of Fortuna Bowl is the chance to socialize and build more community on campus. Students are given the chance to meet people and connect with friends through events like this and intramural sports, in general.
Jenesis Andrews-Kendale, sophomore applied theology major and intern at Recreation Programs, said these events have brought her closer to the CBU community.
“The opportunity to build friendships, connect with people through sports events— this experience with family weekend and Fortuna Bowl —allows people the chance to really connect with the CBU community and come together to enjoy something,” Andrews-Kendale said. “Fortuna Bowl is more than just a football game, it’s an opportunity to show your school spirit and engage with the community at CBU.”
The annual CBU Parent and Family Weekend and Fortuna Bowl are part of a campus-wide weekend of events that reaches beyond the competitive league; it is an opportunity for students, their families and close friends to not only enjoy a good football game but to also connect with the CBU community around them.
