Halloween is approaching, and the Simpson Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is hosting its annual Trunk and Treat to celebrate.
The community-oriented event welcomes kids from Indianola to partake in fun activities at Buxton Stadium. SAAC Event Coordinator Lili Duckmann said this event is one she looks forward to each year.
“It’s one of those events that just makes you smile,” Duckmann said. “The energy, the costumes, the kids running around. It’s awesome.”
Instead of car trunks, every athletic team is assigned to put together a fun game that reflects their sport. SAAC President Savana Walls said the creative activities are what make it engaging for the athletes and community.
“Every sport has a different game, and they give the kids candy, talk to the parents, and just connect,“ Walls said. “Football has its pads out for kids to run through, gymnastics does an obstacle course, and tennis has mini tennis. The kids love it.”
Walls said that the event’s high engagement creates a connection to the community that extends far beyond the holiday. Instead, it is the athletes’ way of thanking the people of Indianola.
“It’s important for us as athletes to realize we live in a community of families that come to our games, they support us, and we want to return that,” Walls said. “We want to show that Simpson athletes aren’t just focused on our own sports; we care about the community, faculty, and families too.”
The event offers a rare break from the competitive side of college sports, allowing athletes to focus on relationships and service.
“You get to connect with people, represent your team, and show that athletes care about more than just winning,” Duckmann said. “It’s definitely good for athletes to get out of the competition mindset sometimes and do something that’s about giving back.”
Walls and Duckmann said that the attendance for the event has grown each year, even highlighting that they ran out of candy halfway through last year. The committee was able to pass out flyers at Indianola’s elementary schools to ensure all kids in the town know about the event.
With the help of their advertising, their expectation for this year’s Trunk or Treat is to welcome the most kids they’ve ever had.
“I think we’re going to see a bigger crowd this year just because of how much earlier we started planning and promoting it,” Duckmann said. “Every year, more people come out for it. You can tell it’s getting more popular and it’s becoming a tradition.”
Because of the size of the event, planning begins in August. Duckmann said the most challenging part of organizing it is coordinating the large number of athletic teams and finding a date and time when all teams are available.
“The biggest challenge is scheduling, because every team has practice and games, so finding times that work for everyone can be hard,” Duckmann said. “It’s definitely a group effort. Everyone has to communicate and show up because if one team doesn’t, it affects the whole event.”
Although there isn’t an outright competition to pass out the most candy, Walls and Duckmann said it’s in an athlete’s heart to always come out on top.
“Everybody wants to be the kid’s favorite,” Duckmann said. “You can tell teams put in extra effort to make their game or trunk stand out. Teams definitely get competitive.”
By offering a safe environment for kids to trick or treat, parents and their children can enjoy an exciting night at Simpson. Walls and Duckmann said kids light up when they have an opportunity to hang out with college athletes.
“It’s fun for the little kids to see us outside of sports because they see us in our uniforms or on the field, but here we’re just hanging out with them,” Duckmann said. “Kids love getting to meet the athletes. They think it’s so cool to play games with college students.”
SAAC purchased over 20 large bags of candy, and members said they can’t wait to run out. Anyone is welcome, including all Simpson students.
Trunk or Treat is at 6 p.m. Oct. 26 at Buxton Stadium or Cowles Fieldhouse, depending on the weather. Grab a costume and join Simpson athletes in giving back to the kids of the community.
