Catholic Newman Center residents show their support for University of Central Missouri football by making a banner ahead of each home game.The Catholic Newman Center is located at the north end of UCM’s campus, which makes the residence for people to notice the banners when entering the campus.
“We’re literally right off campus so everybody passes by either going to class… or heading over to main campus every day,” said senior and Catholic Newman Center member Colin Docherty.
The banners are painted by Docherty and displayed on the outside of the Catholic Newman Center residence, featuring a slogan in support of the UCM Mules football. Docherty said that the banners are meant to promote school spirit among people in the community.
“I thought it would help get school spirit out. I think everybody gets a kick out of it,” Docherty said. “We’re right across from the away team’s tailgate and you’ll see them come over and take pictures of it.”
Docherty said that last year’s homecoming banner had featured a play on the name of UCM President Roger Best. In preparation for this year’s homecoming banner, Docherty said the slogan would reflect the football team.
“I think we’re going to go with… the Mules offense this year,” said Docherty.
According to Docherty, he is not the only one involved with creating the banners. Docherty said that both resident Tyler Kohout and campus minister for the Catholic Newman Center Kevin O’Reilly assist him.
“They help me figure out what to put on these banners. They’re doing research into whoever we’re playing,” said Docherty.
Kohout said that he has been a part of the banner making process since the tradition began before last year’s home football game with the Mules hosting Washburn University.
“It’s probably been… about six or seven times… at this point that we’ve been doing them,” Kohout said.
O’Reilly said that the idea came from seeing other universities make similar banners.
“Other universities do banner hanging and usually… not the most positive things are said on the banner so we thought we could come up with some… funny and clever and appropriate ways to have some school spirit,” said O’Reilly.
Docherty said that the banners are made of bed linens that are spray painted with a particular slogan.
“We use spray paint and somewhere between full-size and king-size… flat sheets,” said Docherty.
Both Kohout and O’Reilly received feedback from members of the Warrensburg community about the banners.
“Last time we waited until the Saturday [of the game] and I saw people watching me put it up,” said Kohout.
O’Reilly said he hopes to keep the tradition going in years to come.
“People talk about the banner usually a couple days after the home game but I’ll get some text messages from local parishioners,” said O’Reilly. “I think students get a big laugh out of it…and I think we’ll just pass it down student to student in the future.”