Fan Traditions Begin For Florida Tech Faithful

 

MELBOURNE, Florida – While Florida Tech will be starting many new traditions with its first year of college football, one as important to fans as the game perhaps is tailgating.  And FIT held its own.

With a section of its campus dedicated to the time-honored tradition, grills, corn hole and cold adult beverages were plentiful.

Jim Hughes – FIT Class of 1974 – noted the significance of the day as he relaxed pre-game with members of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.  “You can’t live forever,” Hughes said.  “But you can create things that can.  And that’s what this day is all about.”

Hughes fronted 150 season tickets for the Pikes – a fraternity he helped found in 1968. 
Fraternity member James Helmburger said he was excited.  “It’s great to be here at the beginning of this tradition.”

At Palm Bay High School stadium, which will be home for FIT Panther football games for the immediate future, fans lined up to get in at 5:30 pm for the 7:00 o’clock game.

Defensive Coordinator Willie Tillman – a former coach at Merritt Island High School – said the team was ready.

“They’ve been waiting two years for this,” he said.  “I hope they get the nerves out in the first couple of series and then settle down and play like we’ve taught them.  They will be okay.”

Florida Tech won their inaugural contest 20-13 over Stetson.