Foosball team shoots for membership goals

"Ladies and Gentlemen, your Indiana Foosers!"\nIt is doubtful these words will echo through Assembly Hall anytime soon, but in the meantime, the members of the IU Foosball Club are happy with their increased popularity in only its second year of existence. \nThis time last year, sophomore Mike Kasprzyk would not have guessed how much the Foosball Club would have grown in only 12 months.\n"We are excited that we have grown to about 25 to 30 members right now," said Kasprzyk, club president. "However, we would like to get our membership up to 50 members this semester."\nThe club was the brainchild of 2004 IU alumnus Jake Leary while studying abroad in the Netherlands. During his trip, he and his friends were introduced to foosball. The game's popularity in the Netherlands made finding open tables quite easy, since about every restaurant and pub had a table or two. The frequent games at the overseas pubs sparked their competitive nature, and soon the idea of starting a club back home was born. \nThe club's foundation was set and the group came back to IU the next year eager to spread their passion for foosball. After the club's first year, a new group of students led by Kasprzyk inherited the club after the founders graduated in the spring.\nAll practices and competitions of the foosball club are located at the IU Foosball Arena. The arena consists of two high-quality Shelti foosball tables located in the Phi Gamma Delta house. The club prides itself on bringing people together from diverse backgrounds to share a common passion for foosball.\n"The best part is meeting new people outside of the academic setting," junior Dan Randolph said.\nThe club practices every Wednesday night and puts on frequent tournaments to determine the champion fooser of the club. Information regarding practices, tournaments, player profiles and everything else fooser is updated on the club's Web site, www.indiana.edu/~foosball.\nAlthough the practice sessions are laid back for the most part, the matches can become heated. \n"We try to be pretty relaxed, but there are some pretty competitive rivalries between friends," said Kasprzyk.\nThe members have become consumed by the game and the friendly competition the club offers, he said. Many of the members have even coined their own signature shot. This tradition, started by the club's founders, has given birth to names such as "Wicked One-Eyed Wack" and "Three-Legged Monkey" that will go down in IU foosball history.\n"All the guys are working on signature shots," Kasprzyk said. "Mine is 'The Slippery Snake.' It can be dangerous."\nThe game of foosball is not as popular in the United States as it is in Europe. Foosball clubs are rare in America, so the Foosers have not participated against any outside competition thus far. There are plans for a possible match against Central Michigan University, one of the few schools in the Midwest with a foosball club. However, a possible match-up is not probable until next school year.\nEven without outside competition, the Foosers are ready to fuel their passion for this bar-room sport.\n"It's all about having fun and playing foosball," Randolph said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Chris Engel at ccengel@indiana.edu.