TP Game A Penn Tradition
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Willaim Penn University basketball squads will be taking on their rivals from Grand View University on Tuesday evening.
Every year when Grand View comes to visit, the first points scored by the Statesmen in the men’s game erupts with a sea of white.
Fans, holding their rolls of toilet paper, await those first points, and then let loose a barrage of TP, turning the gymnasium white.
It’s all cleaned up in a matter of minutes, and the Grand View Vikings shoot the free throws.
Those free throws are the penalty for tradition, which dates back to when William Penn and Central College played each other.
When William Penn moved to the NAIA, Grand View became that new rival.
William Penn University is welcoming the community to come and join them this Tuesday, as the women’s game gets underway at 5:30 pm, and the Toilet Paper Game is set for 7:30 pm.
Nik Rule, Athletic Director for William Penn, said: “it’d be really cool to be able to see community members come out and enjoy that.”
Many students will be away on Thanksgiving break, and community members would not only enjoy good basketball but make memories in the process.
Rule says the TP game has gotten national attention because it’s such a unique experience. “A little different and uncommon.”
“It’s just a unique experience for all ages, young and old; it doesn’t matter. You can see a five-year-old throwing toilet paper next to an 85-year-old person, and that’s fun,” added Rule.
The first 1000 people to the game also get a commemorative t-shirt.
Rule said that William Penn Men’s Basketball team head coach John Henry loves the TP game despite the technical foul. “He’s said if it comes down to one point or two points at the end, we probably didn’t do enough to win the game.”
“I think we’re willing to sacrifice a point or two for a great experience,” added Rule.
Those minutes that Grand View waits to shoot those technical fouls can add pressure to them. They have to listen to the crowd, spending that time thinking about shooting the free throws.
Rule also believes the TP game is an experience the Grand View players also look forward to.
Making those memories is part of all the fun, for William Penn and Grand View alike.
That memory was showcased on one of Grand Views Twitter accounts, where they had a player profile of a graduating senior, Rule explained.
In that profile, that senior said his most memorable moment was the toilet paper game at William Penn. “Here’s a senior graduating, they highlight his most memorable moment as a toilet paper game at William Penn. That’s pretty cool,” said Rule.
“This is a great tradition, and it’s in our own backyard. So we just want, we welcome and invite and encourage people to come on out and experience this great, not only William Penn tradition but community tradition,” added Rule.
