Plowboys begin recruitment as fall semester starts at Tarleton

BY LESLIE POSADAS

Multimedia Journalist

With the fall semester underway at Tarleton State University, the Plowboys, one of the university’s oldest school spirit organizations, have begun their recruitment efforts.

Before the Plowboys were known as a school spirit organization, Tarleton Athletics had custody of the name until 1961.

In 1984, a group of students founded a spirit organization and re-adopted the name Plowboys, attending athletic events and campus activities.

Westin Smith, recruiting chair for the Plowboys, said the organization is much more than a spirit group; it is a brotherhood like no other.

“To me, brotherhood means being able to rely on my brothers 24/7, and I know that if I called any of them in the middle of the night, they’d be there before I even hung up the phone,” Smith said. “That standard of dependability is what makes our organization so strong, and it’s why, even when I meet a Plowboy alumnus twice my age with nothing in common except this brotherhood, we can connect like we’ve known each other for years.”

This brotherhood not only supports Tarleton Athletics at Memorial Stadium, but also travels on occasion.

“My favorite memory as a Plowboy was traveling to South Dakota last winter with my boys to show support for our Texans, which was our first time in the playoffs as a Division I school,” Smith said.

Smith said the entire trip was made possible by Class of ’31 President Koll Bickerstaff and the rest of the Plowboy 100 Club.

Being in a spirit organization requires not only time but also passion, sweat and tears. 

The Plowboys help during athletic events and also build one of Tarleton’s most famous traditions, the L.V. Risinger Memorial Bonfire.

According to Plowboys President Clayton Lawson, construction on the bonfire begins in early September and continues with shaping and additions until it is set ablaze in mid-October.

For this reason, Lawson said he understands that being a member of the organization can be a lot for students to manage.

“Leading the Plowboys while also being a student can definitely be a difficult task at times,” Lawson said. “The way I like to handle it is just constantly staying busy, because if you are steadily busy and focused on your craft, then you never have the time to step back and realize how challenging what you’re doing really is.”

Despite being a staple organization at Tarleton, the Plowboys, like many student groups, encounter their share of criticism.

“Unfortunately, due to negative stereotypes and rumors, some people have allowed word of mouth to ruin their perception of us,” Smith said. “We try to handle this negativity by simply ignoring it, because at the end of the day, regardless of what anybody thinks of us, we will continue to serve our Texan nation.”

As recruiting chair, Smith said he is proud to be part of the brotherhood and summed up the Plowboys in one word: grit.

“Plowboys don’t quit, and we don’t take no for an answer,” Smith said. “Having grit means fighting for what you believe in. Having grit means being a man of courage and having strength of character. You must possess these qualities to be a Plowboy, and grit checks all the boxes.”

Any current students interested in joining the Plowboys or learning more about them can reach out to them via email: [email protected]