Arrow tag is like dodgeball with bows, and it’s coming to the University of Idaho.
Late Night at the Rec will host the game from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday in the Student Recreation Center.
The idea came from Jeneba Hoene, a peer health educator for the Vandal Health Office. She said Late Night at the Rec held a laser tag game last semester, which received great attendance. They wanted to continue on that path.
“I have friends who are into archery. We have archery classes on campus. I’ve always been interested in it,” Hoene said. “I saw a Facebook video, and so I pitched the idea to Brian and then we found that there was overwhelming support from students both Greek and in residence halls, so we’re like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’”
Brian Dulin is the program coordinator for Alcohol and Other Drugs Services, and said the goal of the program is harm reduction.
“What we hear from students is that they want more things at night to do that aren’t centered around alcohol, and so we’re just trying to promote more opportunities,” Dulin said. “We want to provide them with a menu of options to do over the weekend.”
He said arrow tag is played similarly to dodgeball, with two teams of five players launching things at each other. He said there will be inflatable obstacles and the games will last 10 minutes each. The arrows have soft tips and all players will wear face protection. He said they are contracting with North Idaho Arrow Tag to host the event.
Hoene said she heard great things about arrow tag.
“It’s really similar to paintball, but without the bruises,” Hoene said.
In addition to the game, Hoene said there will also be a nacho bar for anyone who comes in.
“Arrow tag is something that’s possible to enjoy even if you’re not partaking in it. So it’s fun to watch the other teams,” Hoene said. “It’ll be a total social event. So if we can have people just hanging out enjoying the show as well as partaking, that would be ideal.”
Hoene said she was worried that the event would turn out to be a flop, but she doesn’t think that anymore.
“As the date approaches, I’ve heard nothing but positive feedback and people saying ‘I’m gonna bring my friends,’” Hoene said. “Knowing that the possible things that we worried about are the exact opposite is happening, it’s fantastic.”
Dulin said this helps build the Vandals After Dark brand, which is a name attached to many late-night activities UI hosts.
“You are guaranteed to have fun. That’s whether you’re watching or taking part you’re gonna have good time,” Hoene said. “We encourage all to come.”
Jack Olson can be reached at [email protected]