This was our fourth year of the Beer Olympics and with each year it continues to get easier, as most of our participants are Beer Olympic veterans and we have quite an accumulation of b.o. (hah) equipment on stock. So planning for this year's event generally starts about a month out thinking about t-shirt design and facebook invitation, etc. We cap our participant slots at 36 so that we don't have more than 8 teams of 4...anything more than that seems to get a little too out of hand.
Some of the preparations include ordering tshirts, writing up & printing out 'official game rules,' and printing off waivers. For more information about some helpful planning and CYA tips - visit this post I did last year.
The day usually rolls out the same way - we have everyone sign in and complete the waiver. They pick up their tshirt and make their donation (donation fee of $30 goes towards cost of beer, tshirt, and a donation to our charity for that year - this year $226 was raised to benefit Miss Tay). Then it is a short game of sloshball (aka kickball, but with beer) while we figure out the team assignments. The only team that remains the same from last year is our previous champs (reigning 2 year champs!) Team Potter (face paint = lightening bolt on their forehead). Everyone else is divided onto teams of 3-4 and given a team name and corresponding face paint.
The day is made up of 9 events with a planned intermission after event #5. Each event has 'official rules' in a binder that the refs carry around. Nobody nitpicks more than someone who's been drinking - so we have our rules ready at hand if we get a whiner. Our first event is always a beer pong tournament, it seems to be a nice way to ease into the day and it gives teammates an opportunity to slide into alliances with each other.
Event 2 is the Dingbat relay because it picks up the pace of the day and is hilarious.
Event 3 was new this year - the Ice Cube Tray Canoe Races
Event 4 was also a new game this year - Slippy Cup (thank you pinterest for the idea). Our slip&slide was an old pool cover loaned to us from Brandon's parents and a sprinkler hose borrowed from my parents!
Event 5 is the Anchorman it is always the last event before intermission. For some reason we never have pictures from it. Then comes a break time when everyone has a chance to load up on water and fill up their bellies with carbs.
Event 6 is Flip Cup because its another good game to ease back into the drinking after the break.
Event 7 is one of our favorites - Beer Bong Races (or Quadbongs). My dad in law crafted up some quad bongs using PVC pipe and some tubing for our first beer olympics and they've made an appearance every year since then.
Event 8 is our Beer Duel. I had to run to the beer distributor last minute to pick up a keg pump (oops! we almost ran out of co2) and as official photographer for the day- we didn't get any pics from this event.
Before the final event we offer a chance for Pound off challenges which is just really a chugging contest between teams. The faster chugger gets an automatic 5 points for their team score.
Event 9 is our Booze Cruise obstacle course which is always hilarious. It has the most weight in points and is the last ditch effort to move your team's score before the awards ceremony.
...Speaking of awards ceremony, before we announce the team scores and places - we hand out awards and sashes to participants that dazzled us (the refs and observers) with their efforts, enthusiasm, or antics during the course of the day. We give awards for things like "Weeble" (weebles wobble but they don't fall down!), "Shark" (someone who doesn't look like a drinker but does awesome), "Clutch" (someone who comes through for their team when they really need it), and "Charlie Sheen" (someone who says the most ridiculous comments throughout the day). Our two biggest awards are the "Rookie of the Year" and "MVD: Most Valuable Drinker."
Oh, and Booboo wins an award every year - for no other reasons but nepotism and because it makes him proud. He won the "snake body" award...which means nothing - he's just into snakes right now and anything snake shaped he calls snake bodies. he's the funniest. And I'm the best mom ever because I allow my child to wear underpants at our super official awards ceremony. #parentingfail
At the end of the day, only one team can win though - and after 2 years of the same champs, we finally have a new champion team! The 2012 Studer's Invitational Beer Olympics Champs were the Buccaneers!
Our beer Olympic champs are the lucky recipients of receiving the first swigs from Das Boot, their names on a plaque for our boot trophy stand, and the satisfaction of knowing they outdrank all other teams...at least until next year:)
I want to publicly thank all our participants for agreeing to wear face & hair paint in the blistering heat this year to raise money for a little girl who needs it. You guys are awesome for following directions, displaying sportsmanship (even if you're 6 drinks in), and recognizing at the end of the day its about kindness and generosity. I also want to thank my awesome refs and volunteers this year (that means you - Mum, Lea, Kayla S, Stacy, Becky, and Joe) for helping me keep it all together. Without you all of you, we would never be able to fulfill these dreams we have - no matter how wacky or crazy they may be. Honestly, thank you - we love you.
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If you were looking closely at the pictures, you may have noticed some things that looked strange. Since we were getting into a routine after 3 Beer Olympics- we decided to switch up the games this year by placing a surprise 'handicap' on each event. Before each event, the teams would decide which teammate would take the 'handicap.' Then the refs would announce the penalty the teammate would need to endure for that game. It just made it a little more fun..while funny at least.
Our 'handicaps' included:
beer pong - taping the three middle fingers of the shooting hand together
dingbat relay - taking a shot of beer at the turnaround
ice cube tray canoe races - cocktail straw instead of a drinking straw
slippy cup - wear & keep on toe separators
anchorman - blindfold
flip cup- bind wrists with athletic wrap
bong races - wear a knee high over your head (funniest thing on the planet)
beer duel - one eye blindfold
booze cruise obstacle course - no 'handicap' because at this point in the day - everyone is their own personal handicap - hah.
The penalties went off great and everyone was open to trying something new. They offered a little spin on the day and we'll probably continue doing them moving forward - only coming up with new and funny things the participants will have to endure.
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If you're interested - here are the links to our 'official' game rules. They are organized in the order that we play them. Feel free to change, alter, or use as is. Its all for fun, right? Do I need to put a disclaimer here? Unfortunately-probably.
- Team Studer (www.studerteam.blogspot.com or Tabitha and Brandon Studer) is not responsible for anyone's actions after following or using our Beer Olympic rules & guidelines. Each person is responsible for his/her own body and personal decisions. If you decide to use our Beer Olympics rules & guidelines, you are agreeing to take full responsibility for any actions, accidents, or injuries that may be caused due to using them. Don't be stupid- but if you are, it's on you, man.-
Holy schnikies how fun. Best post ever! Can we be friends?
ReplyDeleteLove it! We have been having our Beer Oly's since 2007 and always like to check out other groups games!
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting! My friends do a "Redneck Olympics" every summer and we will definitly be incorporating some of your ideas!
ReplyDeleteSo after 3 months of debating this, I am going to do this in June on my property. I am getting everything together now.
ReplyDeleteThis was hilarious!!! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteCan you explain the dingbat and slip n slide event? I know all the rest!
ReplyDeleteThe Dingbat relay: a relay-style race where you first must chug a beer then spin around in a circle 6 times then run across the yard, around a marker and then back to tag hands for the next person on your team.
DeleteSlippy Cup: Drink your cup of beer then flip it upside (like Flip Cup), once you've successfully flipped your cup, run to and slide down the slip&slide, complete another drink & flip at the bottom of the slip and slide. One player from each team goes at once
(for more details - see my link to the 'official' rules above)
Good luck!
Where do you hold this event at? I'd love to do this, but can't think of a place to do it!
ReplyDeletehi Traci,
DeleteWe hold our Beer Olympics at our house, in the yard (its quite big) but before we had this house - we held it at my parents' house (which also has a big yard). My guess is that if you were going to hold it somewhere else (like a rent a space) you will have to look into liability and if there are restrictions with alcohol (and public drunkeness - hah, but seriously). Good Luck planning!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThis is great!
I am trying to plan this as a philanthropy event for a fraternity at my school, and was wondering if you could answer a couple questions about planning for me. I am trying to put together a budget first- about how many beers does each person need? Where do you get the shirts printed (local or online?) How many teams did you have?
Hello,
DeleteGood luck with your planning! In terms of your questions:
1. technically, I'd figure each person needs at least one cup of beer per event plus beer pong beer - so in our case, that's 8 events plus beer pong. We seem to have it worked out pretty closely that with 32 players, we can get by with 4 half kegs.
2. We get our tshirts printed locally from a screen-printing shop (www.aeprints.com) and the shirts usually come to about $8 a shirt. I work with the folks over there to come up with the tshirt design each year.
3. We limit the day to 8 teams of 4 - a total of 32 people. Any more participants or teams than that seems unmanageable with the team to ref ratio.
Hope that helps - good luck!
Your slip and slide looks like one of the best I've seen...how did you anchor it down?
ReplyDeleteThanks! It is a winter in-ground pool cover and a sprinkler (both of which we snagged off of our parents). We staked it down with some tent stakes that we already had.
DeleteThis.is the.best thing since sliced bread.... were doing this with my wedding party thanks for the great ideas.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a massive slumber party afterwards? I would worry about my friends driving home.
ReplyDeleteYes - we give two options: 1) sleep over - lots of participants bring tents and set them up before the events begin so that they can just fall into them at the end of the day and we also have our couches open for whoever needs them and we encourage people to bring air mattresses. Option 2) get picked up. We have lots of sober participants show up to watch their friends or family in the awards ceremony and then take them home afterwards. We also have a line in our waiver that states we have the right to refuse anyone their keys if they don't willingly accept either of the options above. Safety of our friends and family is definitely a priority!!
DeleteAre you guys from johnstown?
ReplyDeleteyes! hahha - are you?
DeleteYes! Well, I work in westmont at Roots salon. I'm actually from Ligonier! The scenery looked familiar and what have it away was the tshirt company :) if you guys ever need a player come find me at work ;)
DeleteTHIS IS AN AWESOME POST! Thank you!! When I click on your "offical rules" it's coming up with a error. Do you have another link to them?! THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteWe are also doing this as a fundraiser this year! Great idea! I have one question about the rules. When you say tournament style; do or die, please explain that to me. You play until you lose? You time them? Everyone goes at once?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Hi Keriann - Good luck with your fundraiser! Tournament style - do or die for us means you move on if you win - if you lose you are out. So two teams will go head to head and the winner moves on to play another winner and the loser falls out of the tournament (for that specific event). Hope that helps :)
DeleteThat does! Thank you!
DeleteHow long does it usually take? Trying to decide what time to start
ReplyDeleteWe always start at 2p and the games last until about 9p and then we finish up with the awards ceremony and finish the whole day around 10-1030. Starting earlier in the day might be an option because by 9-10 it's already pretty dark.
DeleteHi, I would just like to know who to talk to about joining your next Olympics?!? Lol. You guys look like a fun bunch!
ReplyDeleteHi! What are some more of the sash awards you hand out at the end of the night?
ReplyDeletehahah, my favorite part! We usually make up some new ones each year, but some of our favorites include: Rookie of the Year (first time participant), MVD: Most Valuable Drinker, Weeble (gets really drunk but never crashes), Smack Talk (the person who has the best comebacks all day), The Shark (someone who doesnt' look like a drinker but then sneaks up and does awesome), Puke'n Rally (first one to vomit but keeps playing afterwards), and Clutch (someone who was a difference maker for their team)
Deletelove this!!!!! so cool I would love to come to something like this!
ReplyDeleteOh man, wish I were young enough to do this What fun.
ReplyDeleteKudos to whoever was sober enough to document this glorious event
ReplyDeleteTwo years since this post and I REALLY hope you guys still do this, and that I can be invited in a non creepy way! MAJOR planning props to whoever does it (probably you, Tabitha). In awe of this! :)
ReplyDeletewe do! We are gearing up for our 7th annual this year!
Deletei really want to get this started around here. i want to set one up but was wondering how u set the board up. say we have 4 teams u of 4. . do you have each team play eachother til theres a winner in round 1? and then move on?
ReplyDeleteOur board is set up so that all the games are listed across the top and the team names down the side. Some games have every team competing at once and it's just a matter of sorting out who did it the fastest/first (Dingbat relay, Anchorman),
DeleteFor our tournament style games are a mix of winner and loser brackets (beer pong, flip cup) and also single loss elimination for the heavier drinking ones (Beer bong races and Ice Cube tray canoe races). For the tournament games we select the first round by random - pairing teams against each other and move forward from there based on winners/losers. We don't have any complaints about how the pairs are selected (I seriously just look at the board and put together teams that are different than the last game) and it works pretty well for us!
Our Slippy Cup game and Survivor Flip Cup is played in heats, so that we have a representative from each team playing at once before moving on to the next heat. Each team members' performance is added for a full team score at the end of the entire game.
hope that helps! good luck!
Great work! We have been doing a very similar event, but only we do it in winter, with the Minnesota snow and ice putting a great twist on everything (except for when it is so cold that the beer actually freezes)! This January will mark the 9-year anniversary of our event and I am excited to piggy-back on some of your awesome ideas. Thanks for posting! BTW, I completely feel your pain about those whiny drunks and our rulebook has become thicker and more detailed every year! I also love the idea of the waiver. So far we haven't had any problems, but we are getting older...ha!
ReplyDeletethat's awesome! We are gearing up for our 7th annual this weekend! hahah, working on this year's rule book right now! HAH
DeleteI am having trouble finding adequate wording for my strong love of this whole concept! ...and for a good cause, to boot! You, ma'am, are a bona fide badass! Keep up the good work and most of all, thank you for sharing! Filing away for a later date! (:
ReplyDeleteHi!! How do your tournament style events work?
ReplyDeletehi Erin, Our tournament style games are a mix of winner and loser brackets (beer pong, flip cup) and also single loss elimination for the heavier drinking ones (Beer bong races and Ice Cube tray canoe races). For the tournament games we select the first round by random - pairing teams against each other and move forward from there based on winners/losers. We don't have any complaints about how the pairs are selected (I seriously just look at the board and put together teams that are different than the last game) and it works pretty well for us!
DeleteI have been running a winter beer olympics in my basement for 3 years. If you want something new and unique for the winners, check out my buddy's website: rvacapworks.com There is a photo of the medals from a couple years ago at the bottom of this page: http://www.rvacapworks.com/coasters
ReplyDeleteI think I found a couple great ideas from this site when I was finalizing the plans the first or second year. So thank you!! This year I also had spirit medals that were made with caps in the 5 colors of the Olympic rings that looked incredible.
This is awesome, we are going to hold our first beer olympics over this 4th of July! Your blog is so helpful, and you seem so organized! I was wondering if you by chance have a "supplies list" that line items most of the things you need to hold the olympics? i.e keg, cups, tables, whiteboard, etc...
ReplyDeleteOMG - This is the Best!!! Thank you for taking the time to put this online :D
ReplyDelete(This is my wife's husband - secretly signed into my wife's Pinterest account) ;]
Where can I find the rules for these games?
ReplyDeleteSuch a great idea of beer Olympic. Your ideas are great and want to have them for my party. Will organize a party for my employees and will have this ideas for my party. Came to know about professional and corporate event planners. Will hire them.
ReplyDelete