Yale Bulletin and Calendar

September 6-13, 1999

Volume 28, Number 3

Employees invited to attend
home football games for free

The Bulldogs are cooking up some sizzling gridiron action this fall, and Yale employees are invited to enjoy the football feast free of charge all season long.

Under a new program jointly sponsored by the Departments of Athletics and Human Resource Services, staff and faculty can get free general admission seating to all home football games for themselves and one other adult simply by showing a valid University I.D. at the employee gate located outside portal 19 at the Yale Bowl. Per longstanding Yale policy, all children under age 14 will also be admitted free when accompanied by an adult, making the Eli football games a potential free family affair.

And yes, say Yale officials, this offer includes the annual Yale-Harvard football game, which this year will be held in New Haven.

The new Employee Admission program is an outgrowth of the Yale Employee Day program, which for the past five years has brought staff members and their families to the Yale Bowl for a day of free football.

To kick off the new admissions program, the Athletics and Human Resources departments will host this year's Yale Employee Day during the first game of the season on Saturday, Sept. 18, when the Bulldogs meet the Brown University Bears at 1 p.m.

As in recent years, Yale Dining Services will serve up a pre-game tailgate picnic of hotdogs, soda and cookies for employees and their families 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (or as long as supplies last) in the Hospitality Village across from Gate E. Free parking is available to Yale employees for this and every other Bulldog football game this season in Lot D on Central Avenue.

Yale students have received free admission to home football games for several years now. According to Athletics Director Tom Beckett, by offering the same benefit to staff and faculty, the department hopes to create another win-win situation.

"The 1999 Yale Football season promises to be very exciting," says Beckett. "We want to share this experience with as many people as possible.

"Extending this invitation to all Yale employees is our way of saying 'thank you' for the countless contributions they have made to make this University someplace special," he adds. "We encourage every Yale employee to come to the Bowl and enjoy 'The Return to Glory.'"

Old Bulldogs and new tricks

The Yale employees who come to the Bowl to watch the Bulldogs can expect to see a seasoned team that still has a few surprises up its sleeve, according to Jack Siedlecki, head coach of Yale football.

Twelve of the Bulldogs' starters are returning this year, including quarterback Joe Walland '00, who last season set eight school offensive records -- including the single season passing record -- and earned team Most Valuable Player honors, despite playing the last three games with a damaged ankle. "He's the core of our offense," says Siedlecki.

Also returning for the offense is junior running back Rashad Bartholomew, who came to Yale in 1998 from the U.S. Air Force Academy and made First-team All-Ivy last season; and place-kicker Mike Murawczyk, a junior who scored First-team All-Ivy and All-New England honors last year. "In addition, we have a good crop of kids coming up to shore up the offensive line," says the Coach, referring to sophomores Mike Belby, Kyle Metzler and Ben Sproul.

The Bulldogs also have 8 of 11 starters returning on the defensive side, including Jeff Hockenbrock and Peter Sarantos, two senior defensive ends who are All-Ivy candidates.

Thanks to this line-up, the Yale Bulldogs, who only a few short seasons ago were ranked last among the Ivies in preseason polls are now garnering greater respect. "Most of the polls I've seen have ranked Brown and Penn in the top two spots, while Yale has placed anywhere from third to fifth," says Siedlecki. "I think that's fair."

Whether they're new or returning fans, those attending Yale football games can expect to see a team with a "wide-open, multi-formation" style of play, says Siedlecki. "On the offensive side, we tend to throw the ball a lot. Last year, we averaged 30 times a game. Altogether, we passed 335 times in 10 games last season.

"It's an exciting brand of football to watch," he adds.

The prospect of having more fans on hand at home games to cheer on the team definitely cheers Siedlecki, who notes that last year's game against Harvard in Cambridge was particularly intense because it was "the biggest crowd Yale has played in front of."

In the meantime, the Bulldogs continue to train for their first game against the top-ranked Brown. "We're in pre-season right now," says the Coach, "so the biggest thing is keeping the players healthy."

-- By LuAnn Bishop

The season line-up of home games

The following is a list of the Bulldogs' home games. Except for the Yale-Harvard game, which starts at 12:30 p.m., kick-off time for all games is 1 p.m. All games are in the Yale Bowl on Derby Avenue. Employees can park for free in Lot D off Central Avenue.

Sept. 18 -- vs. Brown
Sept. 25 -- vs. Valparaiso
Oct. 16 -- vs. Dartmouth
Oct. 30 -- vs. Pennsylvania
Nov. 20 -- vs. Harvard

T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S

Employees invited to attend home football games for free

Broadway-bound stores include café and national chain

The Spirit of Adventure by President Richard C. Levin

Hazards of Success by Yale College Dean Richard H. Brodhead

Study reveals target of attacks by diabetes-causing cells

New medical students given their 'cloaks of compassion'

Nursing students will take bike trek to raise money for AIDS care

In the News . . .

Architecture School invites 'leading talents' to teach

Chester Kerr, editor emeritus of the Yale University Press, dies

Guide reveals widespead interest in bioethics on campus

Yale employees invited to 'Do Downtown!'

'Titanic' discoverer to discuss undersea explorations

Reaccreditation team to visit this fall

Open house marks completion of student-built home

Campus Notes