Spring Break
The Daily OrangeRoot beer pong event draws players, crowd
By Dan Poster
Posted: 12/1/04, 2:04 AM EST Section: Pulp
 Media Credit: Thao Nguyen |
He was the team's secret weapon, but few would have guessed it.
Johyung Han, a quiet Korean exchange student, has somehow mastered the game of beer pong since arriving in the United States a few months ago.
Last night, under the guise of a spirit-building activity, the sophomore management major put those new skills to good use. He and his teammate Kyle Favaloro, a junior public relations major and transfer student to Syracuse University, won the highest number of games and placed second at DellPlain Hall's root beer pong tournament.
The tournament, part of a three-day contest between DellPlain's floors - the "floor war" - was created per order of its hall council as a means to build community and foster an environment where people can meet and befriend new people, said Sara Covino, a freshman on the council and coordinator of the root beer pong tournament.
"It's our big kickoff before the next semester," she said. "We needed some more spirit."
At least three dozen people agreed, and through the sounds of Steppenwolf and Bruce Springsteen blasting in the background, they watched and cheered their color-coordinated teammates as they sank pingpong balls into root beer for two hours.
"I'm really surprised at the turnout," said Kristina Krise, a sophomore political science major and root beer ponger playing for the first floor.
Asked if she was surprised at the high turnout, Covino shrugged.
"When it came down to it, we thought college kids would enjoy beer pong," she said. "And it seems to have worked."
But the night's success was at least partly due to the victories of one of the odder couples playing: Falavoro, in his first year at SU and Han, in his first year in the country. But together they gave crowds something to cheer about.
"Very good, many time," Han said, in regards to his enjoyment of beer pong and how often he plays it.
Falavoro has been training Han in beer pong once a week since they moved in together.
"It's important that he learn the American nightlife," Falavoro said, rocking Han with his arm around his shoulder. "It's the first game he learned when he arrived."
Han unleashed the skill he's acquired under Falavoro's guidance at the tournament, eliciting reactions of surprise and delight from the crowd, and more than a few high fives and embraces from his partner.
But there's something about playing with root beer that leaves Han dissatisfied, no matter how well he shoots.
Pointing to his head and making a dizzy motion with it, Han recalled his weekly lessons: "Real beer pong much more fun."
