2023 Sparky’s Kids To College Field Trip Game Page
Sun Devils vs. Colorado
Friday, February 17, 2023 at 11 a.m.
Desert Financial Arena
Registration closes Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 5 p.m.
Sun Devil Athletics and Desert Financial Arena open their doors to all kids 8th grade and younger in Arizona for an educational day complete exposure to Division I Women's Basketball and one of the top-ranked universities in the country! The Sparky’s Kids to College program provides students, chaperones**, and bus drivers FREE tickets* for a one of a kind Sun Devil women's basketball experience that integrates classroom activities through an education workbook with practical applications with the pageantry and excitement of a college basketball game! The age-appropriate lessons incorporate State of Arizona standards for math, reading and writing while familiarizing students with the Sun Devils and Arizona State University!
* Pre-registration required. Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability based on arena capacity, transportation is not provided.
** While there is no limit to the number of students or chaperones your group can bring, schools are encouraged to register as soon as possible.
Entertainment
- Pregame: TBD
- In-game: Cheer on head coach Natasha Adair and the Sun Devil Women's Basketball team as they take on Pac-12 conference foe Colorado at Desert Financial Arena complete with fun, interactive, and custom made experiences including games and contests during timeouts to get your students excited about the idea of going to college!
- Halftime: TBD entertainment
The Sparky’s Kids to College Field Trip Game will offer a number of engaging and entertaining educational opportunities throughout the game along with a workbook for each child to take home!
Campus Tours
If your schedule allows either before or following the game, you can schedule a campus tour by clicking here (https://eoss.asu.edu/access/programs/campus-experience).
School Info
Sun Devil Athletics is committed to innovation and inspiring champions in our community. There is no better way to celebrate our student-athletes and that commitment than by hosting our Annual Sparky’s Kids to College Field Trip Day!
- Arrival and Dismissal Times
- As the event approaches, each school will receive an email with the time frame they should arrive at the Desert Financial Arena. This allows us to unload your students and get them into the arena for the game in the most timely manner. When the game is over, each school will be dismissed by Sun Devil Athletics Staff. PLEASE DO NOT CALL YOUR BUS OR LEAVE WHEN THE GAME IS OVER. The buses will be staged in a predetermined order to ensure each school is able to leave as quickly as possible. On average a women’s college basketball game lasts two hours, so we anticipate starting dismissals around 1 p.m. If you need to leave prior to 1 p.m. we can make accommodations to call your bus and dismiss your group at a pre-determined time.
- Check In
- Sun Devil Athletics will check in schools at the staging area. You will receive more information as the event approaches.
- Directions
- As gameday approaches, each school will receive a map that shows the easiest way to navigate to Desert Financial Arena on gameday.
- Lunch/Food
- While Sun Devil Athletics enforces a Clear Bag Policy, sack lunches will be exempt from this policy on gameday and students can bring their lunch into the Desert Financial Arena. Large coolers, containers, and ice chests ARE NOT PERMITTED into the building. It is best to have each student carry their own lunch if possible. Any coolers/containers/ice chests must be unloaded prior to arriving to the drop off area. Students will be able to bring sack lunches and eat within Desert Financial Arena. However, no glass bottles are permitted. Concession stands will also be open on gameday offering standard arena snacks and food, ranging from $6-$12.
- Nametags
- Each school will be issued name tags with the school’s name and seating area. These name tags act as the students tickets in the game.
- Parking
- Parking for buses will be FREE and there will be a map to direct buses to their designated areas. For anyone who drives separately, there will be event parking available in designated areas.
- Restrooms
- There are restrooms located around the main concourse of Desert Financial Arena. When you check in, you will receive a packet with a detailed map of where each restroom is located.
- Seating Map/Seat Location
- Each school will have assigned seating. The information will be sent out to each school as the event approaches along with a map of the arena. Staff will escort each group to their seats upon arrival.
- Tickets
- All tickets to the game are FREE for the students, chaperones and bus drivers. Pre-registration is required and confirmations will be sent to all participating schools.
FAQ
What if I don't know exactly how many people are coming?
Please provide your best estimate and err on the side of caution. We appreciate you being as precise as possible but understand it is difficult to be exact so far in advance. You will have opportunities as the game draws closer to provide us with your exact number.
Who should be the contact for the school?
The contact for the school will receive important information from Sun Devil Athletics related to the event on a regular basis. Due to this, we recommend the contact be a full time employee. (IE: a school counselor, vice principal, dean of students, ect.)
What if I need to change the number after I have submitted?
Please email Blaire.Houston@asu.edu with your school name and how many people will be attending.
* Please be aware that registration and final number submission for your school will be due no later than three weeks prior to the game date to allow for Sun Devil Athletics Staff to prepare seating for all our schools attending the game.
How will students and chaperones get tickets?
There will not be any tickets for the event. Upon check-in at the staging area, schools will receive name tags for each student and chaperone, which will serve as their ticket. Chaperones driving separately should coordinate arrival time with their group and meet up at the bus drop-off location which will be provided in the pre-game information.
What if parents want to attend, but not as chaperones?
Any parent wishing to attend the event, but not as a chaperone may purchase a $5 group ticket by calling 480-965-5812. However, due to the large number of school attendees and seating, parents may not sit with the schools. They should enter either through the East or West Entrance of Desert Financial Arena and sit in specified locations that will be determined closer to gameday.
Where do students put their lunch?
While Sun Devil Athletics enforces a Clear Bag Policy, sack lunches will be exempt from this policy on gameday and students can bring their lunch into the Desert Financial Arena. Large coolers, containers, and ice chests ARE NOT PERMITTED into the building. It is best to have each student carry their own lunch if possible. Any coolers/containers/ice chests must be unloaded prior to arriving to the drop off area.
Can we buy lunch at the game?
Yes, the concession stands will be open and special offers will be available for the game!
What if we have medical bags or students’ medicine?
Any medicine and medical bags will be exempt from the Clear Bag Policy, but are subject to inspection. To the best of your ability, please consolidate all medicines into one bag or as few as possible.
Do we have to pay for parking for our bus(es)?
No, there will be designated areas for buses to park FREE of charge. You will receive detailed drop-off and parking information from Sun Devil Athletics as the event approaches.
How much does this event cost?
This is a FREE event for all schools that register online. The only cost to schools is securing the bus(es) they travel on to and from Desert Financial Arena.
What happens if I lose something?
If an item is lost, it will be taken to our Guest Services table located at the East entrance. If you realize after the game you have left something, you can email SunDevilAthletics@asu.edu to see if it has been turned in or call 480-965-3933. All items will be located at the Sun Devil Athletics front desk the following business day.
Contact Us
For any additional questions or concerns, please contact Jack Ginsberg at Jack.Ginsberg@asu.edu or 480-727-9176.