After two straight decades of dominance, Alpha Gamma Delta was defeated by fellow sorority Delta Zeta in this year’s April Reign tug-of-war competition.
April Reign is regarded as one of the most highly-anticipated days for Baldwin Wallace University students, especially those who participate in Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL). While many see April Reign as a day to get together with friends, for those in FSL, they compete throughout the morning between each other in various competitions, the most anticipated event being tug-of-war.
Since 2006, Alpha Gamma Delta (AGD) has won first place in tug every single year except 2020, when April Reign was canceled due to COVID-19. Each year, the other sororities have tried to dethrone AGD, but each year has been as unsuccessful as the last. This year, however, AGD’s streak of dominance came to an end.
The April Reign competitions, now called Springtime Showdown, take place every year at Wallace Lake early in the morning. This year, each of the fraternities and sororities took turns competing in tug-of-war and a game show. In previous years, dodgeball, obstacle courses and scavenger hunts were also competitions that FSL would look forward to.
Keira Donkers, a senior at Delta Zeta (DZ), has been doing tug for three years and looks forward to it every time. “I’m not a very competitive person, but when it comes to tug, I’m ready.”
Donkers was not only excited for herself to be a part of this historic victory, but also for her fellow sisters.
“I have not stopped watching the video, and I’m very proud of us. I think we did an amazing job.” Donkers said. “…this year, it was the most cohesive I’ve ever felt within our chapter…and it feels good to be on a team who you get along with.”
Cheyenne Johnson, a sister of AGD, shared how, despite her sorority’s winning streak coming to an end, she was still proud of the effort all her sisters gave.
“I at least want my sisters to be proud of themselves and be proud of what they’ve done and proud of being a part of something like this,” Johnson said. This year AGD ended up placing third overall in tug, but came away winning the sportsmanship award.
Johnson also shared how alumni from various chapters often come to support during the competitions. “There’s a dedicated group of alumni that come to cheer us on specifically for tug,” Johnson said. “It’s nice to see friends that maybe I just talk on the phone with but haven’t physically seen in a while.” Johnson also mentions that she is looking forward to coming back next year to support AGD next year as an alumna.
In the past, negative comments online have caused tensions to rise prior to the competitions. While the intensity of competition sometimes rises to an unhealthy level, Donkers also shared how April Reign can bring the FSL community together.
“We’re always screaming…we try to scream for both teams when they’re up [for tug],” Donkers said.
While these competitions are focused on FSL, any student organization is welcome to sign up and compete for these events. To learn more, you can contact [email protected] to learn more about participation.
