Volleyball or football? Cross country or wrestling? These are the choices Simpson students and sports fans will face this year. This semester, the ability to pick a favorite sport and team will be a must.

Even though sports scheduling conflicts occur every year, the fall semester of 2006 seems to take the cake. The first large problem this year was Simpson’s family weekend being scheduled the same weekend as the Iowa vs. Iowa State game. Many Simpson fans were forced to choose between supporting the Storm and attending the largest college football rivalry in Iowa. Students showed much frustration.

“It’s self-centered of Simpson College to not consider other college schedules,” sophomore Carrie Cavanaugh said. “Students want to support more than one sport and team.”

The next major scheduling error will occur the weekend of Simpson’s homecoming. The football game has been scheduled for 1 p.m. Also, a volleyball triangular has been scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 14. The games are set for 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m.

Sports Information Director Matt Turk acknowledges the conflicts.

“Sport conflicts are not unusual,” he said.

Unusual or not, fans will find it difficult to choose between sporting events.

“From a fan standpoint, I really think having these two events simultaneously will take away from the crowd present at both the football game and the volleyball triad,” said senior Deena Rupalo, undergrad assistant to Turk. “It really doesn’t seem fair for either team to have its fans, especially the student body, choose between attending one event or the other. After all, the whole point is to have as many people in the stands as possible for both events, and that really is impossible this year simply because they’re happening at the same time.”

Although it is difficult to schedule all events without any overlapping, this fall has contained more than just two conflicts. Saturday, Sept. 30, women’s cross country was forced to share their morning meet with volleyball, which was scheduled to play all day. In November, this same conflict occurs and includes the men’s cross country meet.

By December, there is yet another conflict. An all-day wrestling invitational scheduled along with a men’s and women’s basketball invitational led to changes in the basketball scheduling.

The invitational will now begin at 8 a.m., and the junior varsity basketball game has been moved to Hopper Gymnasium.

Picking a favorite sport is not the only problem. Sophomore Emily Beckmann has found a whole new issue.

“It is hard to participate in more than one activity at Simpson when so many schedules conflict,” Beckmann said.

There is a bright side to the negative situation of picking and choosing, though.

“You just have to be prepared for these conflicts,” Turk said. “At the end of the day it is very rewarding when the events all come off well.”