Fans at Saturday’s football game against Middle Tennessee witnessed the birth of a new home game tradition. After each of the 49ers’ three touchdowns, an Air Force ROTC cadet leapt up onto a platform in the end zone and, borne aloft by six other cadets, did push-ups to celebrate the score.
The new push-up platform was initiated by the Air Force ROTC Detachment 592 and designed and built in the Storrs Fabrication Lab (FabLab).
The Air Force ROTC had been marking touchdowns by running flags in the end zone, said Captain Blake Evans, but the cadets wanted something a little more impressive. ROTC units at universities such as Clemson, UNC Chapel Hill, and West Virginia University had push-up platforms, so Captain Evans approached Alex Cabral, director of the Storrs FabLab, and asked for help.
“Storrs FabLab is uniquely equipped with tooling that ranges widely across analog and digital platforms for woods, metals, plastics and composites,” said Cabral. “As trained designers equipped with the expertise to build just about anything, FabLab staff felt like this opportunity was the perfect match. As it turned out, this was a fast-paced, all-hands-on-deck push from McKenzie Canaday (FabLab manager), Jeff Deming (technician), Storrs Building Manager Todd Payne, and myself.”
The platform, 3.5 feet wide and nearly seven feet long, is a steel frame with a painted wooden base and vinyl graphics. The FabLab donated all materials and time on behalf of the Air Force ROTC and Athletics. It was completed in two weeks, in time for the Veteran’s Day home game.
“We hope that this will become one of the highlights of our home games and a lasting legacy as our football program continues to grow,” said Evans. “It's a fantastic challenge for our cadets, it pays homage to our institution, and it helps us interlace what we do with what the university – and namely Athletics – does.”
The total number of points scored by the 49ers determines the number of push-ups.
“We're looking forward to those games where a cadet, or our mascot Norm, has to crank out 42, 49, or 63 reps,” said Evans.
It was particularly fitting, Evans said, that the push-up platform had its debut on Veteran’s Day.
“In the military, everything we do is to serve our citizens, those who have served before us, those serving with us, and those who will take up the charge after us. Despite our start as a veteran's institution, ROTC at UNC Charlotte is still building its legacy, but we're starting to solidify our presence on campus and building some traditions that are so vital to establishing a legacy.”