The Teams Take Off
Last Friday at Pensacola Christian College, the teams took off at Eagles Fan Fest. In the Arlin R. Horton Sports Center, fans in white and blue gathered as loud game music filled the gym. At PCC, the event introduces the Eagles to their fans, generating excitement for games. This year, the theme “Let’s Soar!” united the teams and fans with the official Eagles Bible verse—Isaiah 40:31.
Basketball coach Jason Bell is looking forward to the winter season, and he always enjoys introducing the team at Eagles Fan Fest. “The purpose is to get our fans interested and excited about the upcoming season. We’re ready to go—really looking forward to the rest of the competition.”
At 11 PM, the lights dimmed in the Sports Center. Eagles Fan Fest opened with a floor show—an animation projected onto the arena floor. This year, four Blue Angels-inspired jets appeared—F/A-18 Super Hornets, complete with Eagles branding!
With the jets poised for takeoff, Eagles mascot Eagor strode into the arena. Surprised by Eagor’s early entrance, fans burst into cheers. Raising light sticks, Eagor directed the F/A-18s to take off, bonding the Eagles to Pensacola naval aviation. Famous for precision, Blue Angel pilots demonstrate difficult maneuvers while flying in formation. This year, Eagles players look forward to competing in high-stakes games with the same confidence and teamwork.
With excitement built to the max, it was time to introduce the teams. The players and coaches ran through a fog and light tunnel into the arena, and the crowd went wild. As her team gears up for the winter season, Lady Eagles basketball player Gracee Bieber (So., MN) was thrilled by the fan energy. “[Eagles Fan Fest] gives the student body an opportunity to get to know each other while getting to know the Eagles players. Being a part of the team is exciting, and it gives us an opportunity to show the love of Jesus and be a light to others!”
“Being a part of the team is exciting, and it gives us an opportunity to show the love of Jesus and be a light to others!”
For senior Eagles player Dakotah Barchus (Sr., AZ), the soccer season is nearly over. For Dakotah, Eagles Fan Fest was a great way to celebrate his team’s hard work. He shared, “Seeing the support from the student body gives us more energy going into games. [I loved] seeing the floor show and being able to spend time with my fellow athletes.”
Fans Engage
For fans, Eagles Fan Fest was a time to build friendships and enjoy games while uniting around the Eagles. An hour before, students gathered for Pre-Fan Fest games and snacks. Friend groups played cornhole and spikeball and enjoyed free cookies from Dirty Dough. Outside the Sports Center, more treats were available for purchase at Waffle Boutique, a local Pensacola food truck.
During the event, fans played games with student athletes and even won prizes. For the Eagles soccer competition, the team participated in a full-court soccer game and had a target throw. One fan was selected to win $50 if a player could hit a small target with a soccer ball. Goaltender Josh Chandler (Fr., TX) hit the target—all the way from the mezzanine. Sarah Barbosa (Fr., TX), the lucky winner, received $50 on her PCC Card.
Beyond winning a prize, Sarah loved building her friendships at Eagles Fan Fest. She shared, “It’s a great event for freshmen because it gets everyone excited about Eagles sports, and it is super fun to go with friends. They had many games that got a lot of people involved and made it fun for everyone!”
Like Sarah, Michael Barber (Fr., IN) loved watching the player skill demonstrations and competitions. Inspired, he looks forward to going to Eagles events. Michael shared, “My favorite part was the basketball game and introduction of the teams—it made me excited to watch these teams play and support them!”
“My favorite part was the basketball game and introduction of the teams—it made me excited to watch these teams play and support them!”
Enthusiasm from students like Michael and Sarah was meaningful to all the players, but especially for freshmen Eagles. New Lady Eagles volleyball player Sydney Anderson (Fr., GA) loved the electric atmosphere at her first Eagles Fan Fest. “My favorite part was how loud it was in the gym. The event boosts community involvement, and now people will want to support our team. Fan Fest was super exciting, and I can’t wait to do it again next year!”
After an electric Eagles Fan Fest, both players and fans are energized for the coming Eagles games. The teams are ready to win, the students are ready to support them—and, together, they’ll soar.