Classic Pranks

Since today is April Fool's Day I thought I'd share a few of the pranks our team has pulled on each other over the years.

Happy Birthday - This one started at the NWAACC Championship banquet years ago when participating coaches were asked to give a brief speech recapping their season. Bill Bachman, former UCC Athletic Director, was in attendance and I ended my short talk by wishing him a happy 63rd birthday even though he was only 50 years old at the time and it wasn't even his birthday. Then I had the entire banquet hall stand up and sing "Happy Birthday" to Bill while he sat their red faced and embarassed. I pulled the same stunt at least a dozen times over the next several years at banquets, restaraunts, faculty gatherings, etc. and it never got old - at least for me!

Never Trust A Sophomore - Not so much a prank but still really funny. Last year sophomore Corynn Jorgensen had freshman Kayla Haines thoroughly convinced that the smaller versions of the Hummer could be driven while completely submerged under water. The gag would have continued longer except that one day Kayla's mom, Brenda, was having lunch with us before a game when Kayla started talking about the car that could drive under water. Brenda got a good laugh out of it too before setting Kayla straight but for weeks afterwards every time someone on the team spotted one of those cars on the road they yelled out Underwater Car.

Let's Sue Subway! This past season Cassandra Tiggett brought a Subway sandwich in to the library to eat while studying with the rest of our team. When she momentarily left the study table, Cassie Scheffelmaier ripped a napkin in half and inserted it into the middle of the sandwich. A few bites later Cassandra started chewing the napkin and was understandably shocked and upset to be eating paper. Almost immediately she picked up her cell phone and called her father, who is an attorney, to explain the situation and to demand that he sue Subway right away. The prank was short lived because by now all the others players were laughing hysterically.

Ding Dong Ditch - Several years ago both the UCC men's and women's teams found ourselves staying at the same hotel in Portland. One of the men's players filled a trash can up with water and tilted it up on one side against his coach's door. With the can in place he then knocked on the door and then ran and hid around the corner while the door was opened. Of course when the door was opened, the can tipped over and practically flooded the doorway of the room. The men's player then suggested that they try the same thing to my door. It only took Lauren Marshall a split second to wisely announce that would not be a good idea!

Squirt Gun Fight - Jakehima Mercier was constantly pulling pranks on teammate/roommate Staci Kleir. One time she put one of Staci's bras on their landlady's dog and let it run through the neighborhood. Another time she set up a "lemonade" type stand in their front yard and tried to sell Staci's underwear. But the best one (also the grossest one) became a team legend. Jakehima took a super soaker water bazooka and filled it with water. Then she took a small water pistol and filled it with her own pee. When both guns were full, Jakehima challenged Staci to a squirt gun fight and in the spirit of good sportsmanship let Staci choose which weapon she wanted to use. Not knowing the small pistol was full of pee, Staci chose the water filled bazooka and the fight was on! Even though Jakehima landed only a few well placed shots, there was no question who won and who lost!