Urbana Homecoming Football Game to be Played on a Saturday Afternoon
Despite the game being played Saturday afternoon, all other traditional homecoming events will be held at regular times. Friday’s school day will run on a modified schedule with the annual pep assembly at the end of the day. The homecoming parade, which is followed by the Tailgreat event, will start at 3 p.m. on Friday. After the game Saturday afternoon, the Urbana Homecoming Dance will begin at 7 p.m.
The move to Saturday was made after a typical Saturday Illinois Football game against Nebraska was moved to 7 p.m. on Friday, September 29 to accommodate for Fox Sports’ national broadcast schedule.
Although the Tigers’ home game was moved to avoid a major conflict with the University, several other Urbana High athletic events are now conflicting with the big homecoming game. The UHS Cross Country team competes at the Peoria Invitational starting at 10 a.m. as well as the Boys Golf team being in action in Bloomington-Normal starting at 8:30 a.m.
Many students like Colin Tarkowski, a UHS senior and member of the school’s largest student organization, The Tiger Marching Band, are forced to make decisions between athletics and the halftime performance at Saturday’s game.
“Since Marching Band performances are for a grade, I won’t be able to golf,” said Tarkowski.
As well as conflicting athletic events, the football game is making many students choose between attending the game or preparing for the homecoming dance.
“I know some girls take up to five hours to get ready and the football game won’t be done until around 2:30,” said Maddie Sanders, senior, who is concerned about the time between the game and the dance.
Urbana High School is hoping to make the best of the unavoidable situation, but the first scheduled Saturday day game in over a decade is sure to provide a new homecoming weekend experience in Urbana.
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