North Carolina State University Athletics
PEELER: Volunteers Have Fun WITH Football
8/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH, N.C. - All Matt Phillips was looking to do was fulfill his community service requirement at Raleigh's Leesville High School during the fall of his junior year.
When he saw that he could get those hours and a free ticket to an NC State football game to boot, the life-long Wolfpack fan jumped at the chance to sign up for WITH Partners, the school's pre-game fan-enhancement program at Carter-Finley Stadium.
But Phillips discovered there was more to the program than just checking off a graduation requirement.
"Believe it or not, I think the WITH Program changed my life," Phillips said. "I had always been concerned about making sure that my grades were high enough to be at or above NC State's [standards for admission].
"But competition is tougher than ever to get in, and every candidate needs something on their resume that truly makes them stand out when their application is being reviewed by the admissions department. I think my two years of 'work' with the program truly helped me realize my dream of getting accepted to NC State."
Phillips enrolled at the school earlier this month and is now enjoying his freshman year. And, even though he gets a student ticket to every game now through his student fees, Phillips will be back patrolling the parking lots for his third consecutive season.
Why? For Phillips, the sportsmanship initiative is a great way to enhance everyone's experiences at the games he's loved attending since he first watched Torry Holt play for the Wolfpack more than a decade ago.
"Back then, Torry was just the bait," Phillips said. "It was the game-day atmosphere that really reeled me in. I have seen games at games at every major college venue in North Carolina and nothing has compared to the spirit and enthusiasm Pack fans bring to every event.
"So I never really thought of it as service, it was more like getting paid in hours to do something I really enjoy."
Phillips was one of more than 250 volunteers for the ambassador program last season. Each volunteer is required to attend a training program the day before the game for which they volunteer. Their duties include roaming the parking lot, giving away promotional items and answering questions and offering to help visitors find their way into the stadium.
In exchange, each volunteer receives a single ticket to the game, a parking pass, a WITH Partner T-shirt and a community-service certificate.
But those who initially signed up just to get a ticket have found they get much more out of the program than just a good seat at the game.
George Thiessen of Raleigh has volunteered the two previous seasons with his sons, Adam and Sam.
"The games are great, but we also learned early on that not everyone has a good time at the games," Thiessen said. "When we first started the students could be very vocal and sometimes used improper language towards other teams' fans. Since this program has grown over the last couple of seasons, the students still let the visitors know how they feel, but I've seen a change in how they treat visiting fans. They aren't as harsh on kids or older fans."
Thiessen remembers the Maryland game two years ago, when the weather was freezing and no one in the family was looking forward to spending a couple of hours in the parking lot.
"We were freezing, but a group of students invited us into their tent and told us to warm up by their fire," he said. "They gave my sons some Bojangles' biscuits. It was a nice outreach of kindness and caring.
"I think the WITH Partners is one of the best programs I have ever participated in."
Students and families aren't the only volunteers. Stan and Carolyn Epstein have participated both seasons. For the semi-retired couple in Raleigh, it's an excellent way to enjoy some time together, just as they do when they volunteer for the Full Frame Festival in Durham and the Playmakers Theater in Chapel Hill.
"We enjoy seeing the movies and the plays and the games, but being in the parking lots gives us a great chance to work with people," Fran Epstein said. "The fans are always offering us drinks and barbecue and whatever they have at their tailgates. And they like it when we give them the drink coozies.
"We have a lot of fun with them."
NC State staff members have also played a role in keeping the program going. Marianne White, the director of the pharmacy at the NC State Health Service, has been going to Wolfpack football games since she arrived in Raleigh more than 25 years ago and going to football games since she was about 5 years old. Her motivation for participating in the program was to help enhance the atmosphere at the stadium.
"I want everyone to have a good time and enjoy themselves without anyone getting hurt," White said. "I think the fans really appreciate the volunteers who circle through the parking lots.
"For me, one of the best things about being at the stadium on game day is seeing the young children who come to the game all dressed up and excited. They will be the next generation of Wolfpack fans. I would like for it to be an experience that they remember."
For more information about joining the program, and to sign up for the required WITH training sessions, visit here or contact program director Morgan Rogers by phone at (919) 865-1438 or by e-mail at morgan_rogers@ncsu.edu.
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
