On April 1, 2012, the Rice University Sport Management Program hosted its 5th Annual OwlBowl at Dave and Busters in the MARQ*E Entertainment Center.
In an effort to raise funds for the Sports Management program, Dr. Jason Sosa and his Event Management class (SMGT 366) organized and executed the Owl Bowl with great success. The night began with welcoming of celebrity bowlers that included a few distinguished Rice alumni James Casey, Brett Wagner, and Doug Malcolm, and Ricky Pierce. Some of the other notable celebrity bowlers were Gary Kubiak, Head Coach of the Houston Texans, and David Bailiff, head Coach of the Rice Owls Football team. Dean Hutchinson even made an appearance to support one of the many fine programs Rice has to offer.
“I really enjoyed my first Rice Owl Bowl,” said Kubiak. “I got a chance to bring out a few of my coaches and we were able to enjoy a Sunday night away from the offices.”
The students of Dr. Sosa’s Event Management spent the semester selling lanes, searching for sponsorships, and seeking donations so that they could put on a great event for the Sports Management program. The 19 Sports Management Majors in the class worked hard together and pieced together one of the most successful Owl Bowls in its history.
Bowlers arrived at 6 p.m. and helped themselves to an appetizer buffet while the festivities got underway. Upon registering, participants received a goodie bag stocked with items provided by the event’s sponsors, and were guided to the Silent Auction for a look at a myriad of items available for purchase. All 20 items available for purchase were successfully auctioned off, but the most popular item by far was the golf bag supplied by the Rice Golf Team.
Participants were divided into 6-person teams which included one celebrity per lane. Both the Rice cheerleaders and Sammy the Owl were in attendance to provide some extra motivation for bowlers, and DJ Sounds (John DeLeon) kept the momentum going with the music all night.
Each team had its picture taken, and a photo booth was provided so that players could take home an instant memory from the evening.
The event was sponsored by: The R Association, Dougherty Wagner Trial Lawyers, Lapin and Landa, LLP – Attorneys at Law, Dynamo Charities, Bike Barn, DJ Sounds, St. Arnold’s Brewing Company, K.T. Real Estate Corporation, and the Methodist Hospital.
Kyle Prater, a junior from Kerrville, Texas, is majoring in Sport Management. Klein Kubiak, a junior from Houston, Texas, is majoring in Sport Management and minoring in Business.