Rook Cup: Reviving a school tradition

With the relocating of the Harmon Cup trophy last year, Norwich University Corps freshmen this school year have an old school tradition to carry out while being able to participate in active recreational team building events.

General Harmon founded the Harmon Cup in the 1950s or 60s when he was president of the school, according to Frank Steenburn, 21, a senior geology major from Colton's Point, Md., who is a member of Student Activities.

"He thought that it would be a good idea to have an athletic event that was open to all recruits that would build comradery and enable them to share a common bond," Steenburn said.

In addition to fostering teamwork and building company spirit, The Rook Cup is an athletic event that all corps freshmen can participate in without having to be on a sports team.

"I think that it's an excellent chance for the freshmen to meet each other on a more competitive level than usual; most of the time we are just studying individually in our platoon which is a pretty small group; when we get together for the events it gives us a chance to show off and give us a break from our cadre," said Alton Zurlo-Havey, 19, a freshmen nursing major from Howell, N.J.

The Harmon cup has been called the "rook cup" but will be referred to the Harmon cup starting next semester now that the freshmen have been recognized, according to Steenburn.

The last known Harmon Cup was held in 2002.

"Something happened between then and now where the event kind of tapered off, they lost the Harmon Cup, No one knew where they put it, and then last year student activities decided it was something that they wanted to have again that would bring the companies together," Steenburn said.

This semester has been pretty successful

"We have the support of the cadet colonel, the support of the athletic department, we have a great advisor, so it kind of just took off the ground and so far we have had good feedback," said Steenburn.

So far this semester there has been three events: flag football, a modified triathlon and capture the flag.

"I think it's a good way to bond with the other platoons seeing as how we really don't get a lot of that on the hill, it's an easy way to keep active among our own platoon seeing as we don't get much PT, its fun, I wish there was more of it," said Edgar Kingsly Jr, 19, a freshmen athletic training major from Franklin, N.H.

Kingsly also thought that it would be better if there were more events more frequently.

"I would like it if there were not such large gaps between the events. I would like to see more of the traditional sports in future events as well," Kingsly said.

Some other opinions were also voiced by several freshmen.

"So far I think the events have been pretty good, it might be beneficial to develop them a little further next year, in the last one in particular capture the flag there was too many rules that made it more of a child's game rather than a competition. I think if we played a good game of soccer that would be a lot of fun," said Havey.

"I think the best event was flag football, because we were more active and more into it than the other events. I also think having more aggressive sports would be good because we are cooped up in ours rooms a lot," said Chad Thorton, 19, a athletic training major from Proctor, Vt.

Havey agreed. "I was personally expecting it to be more physically challenging here, and I think the rook cup gives us the opportunity to unleash our physical abilities."

The Rook Cup this year seems to be having good reviews, and with time will again become a Norwich tradition.