Pseudosubculture Peacock

Pseudosubculture Peacock:  A Look at an All-Campus Intramural Team from the Inside-out

Over 7000 students participated in Intramurals at the University of Southern Indiana this
year, but in my opinion, none are as dedicated and spirited as the Peacock Icons.  When you think
of Intramurals, you probably think of simply playing sports just for the recreational value, but for
the Peacock Icons, it goes beyond that.  We are more than just an Intramural team blindly
participating just to play sports—we are pseudosubculture, so to speak.  We qualify as a
subculture (a self-identified group of people with our own stories, rituals, and behaviors), but I
use the word pseudosubculture because no matter how much or how often we are involved, the
team is only one facet of our lives, which we are apart from over the summer.  We transcend the
sports we play; we are more than just a team of intramural athletes.

Method
	
     Upon beginning my research, I realized that I was an insider, indeed.  Knowing this, I
realized “outsider” observation would be somewhat of an obstacle, but at the same time, I had
twenty-four hour access to the site and a general knowledge base that allowed me to really
observe in depth what goes on.  Furthermore, I attend every event in which the Peacock Icons
participate and see all that goes on.  Hence, observation was not a separate task but rather an
everyday occurrence achieved by just paying close attention to the happenings both in my
apartment and at Intramural functions and events.
However, instead of taking extensive notes, I merely jotted down several main topics,
some of which eventually became subheadings within this research report.  From the main ideas, I
amalgamated information in those areas, taking a few notes here and there to remember small
details.  In addition, as an insider, my observations are capable of spanning wider spectrum,
relying on occurrences of both past and present.  At that point, I began writing, using the main
topics and adding the rest from my everyday experiences.  Beyond that, I tried to analyze
everything by putting it together in order to form my thesis.  My proposal, observation exercise,
artifact analysis, and interviews were also at my disposal for this project.   

8043A Ray--Peacock Icon Headquarters
	
     I walk into this place everyday—Apartment 8043A in the Ray building of the Joseph E.
O’Daniel Apartment Complex.  It is my home away from home--a college apartment from which
four male students conduct their daily academic lives and studies.  This apartment, which doubles
as the main headquarters, is the standard USI on-campus apartment. It has a living room, which
connects to a small dining area, leading to the small but adequate kitchen.  However, the dining
area is never used for eating but rather for the computer, which serves multiple, important
purposes.  Attached to the living room on either side is a bedroom housing two of the four
residents of the headquarters.  On the right live Brian Giesler and I, the captains.  On the left, the
emergency captain and one of the loyal players reside.
	Other than the dining area where the computer stands, the living room is probably the
second most important area of the headquarters; it provides ample space for small meetings and
team gatherings.  In addition, the room also serves as the “studio” for the filming of Peacock
Icons LIVE, the weekly filmed show which updates recent and upcoming Peacock Icons events
throughout the past week.  
Signs of the Peacock infestation can be seen throughout the room.  Adorning the
television on the left side of the room are two picture frames with multi-colored foam peacock
feathers glued to them.  On the right sidewall hang two homemade posters with assorted pictures
of team members and colorful construction paper backgrounds.  Both were gifts to the captains
from a fellow Icon.  Furthermore, there is an aspect that borders on the odd—a stuffed animal
raccoon with attached suicide note hangs from the smoke detector by its neck noosed by a phone
cord.  Remember this animal; what it represents will become quite apparent later.

Doing it for Kenny

	Where does a team get a name like the Peacock Icons?  I find it somewhat odd even as a
captain and co-founder.  Our name is derived from a man for which my co-captain and I have
great respect:  Kenneth C. Peacock.  Kenny is a man who lives in my hometown of Holland,
Indiana.  Originally from Kentucky, Kenny attended the University of Evansville, playing football
and majoring in physical education.  Here he met the love of his life Dana Partenheimer-Peacock
and the rest is history.  Kenny and Dana were married in 1988, and the couple moved to Holland,
which is also Dana’s hometown.  Kenny was unable to attain a job in teaching and is now a
foreman at a local factory.  
 	How does this man tie into the picture?  The answer is one word:  softball.  With his
athletic background, Kenny joined the church softball team of which I was a member, and he
quickly became a player favorite; everyone loved having Kenny around because of his team first
attitude and humor in the dugout.  So, after five years of playing side-by-side with Kenny, I was
off to college, and a year and a half later, we formed our Intramural team.  In order to get
attention, we needed a name that would be noticed, and we chose to incorporate Kenny’s name
after merely minutes of discussion.  With a small alteration, we were set—the Peacock Icons were
born with my roommate Brian and I at the helm.  Since then, the battle cry has always been:  Do it
for Kenny!

Our Mission Statement

     Until just recently, our success—at least as measured by winning events—has been
limited, but we have always had the same mission statement from the beginning:  allowing anyone
to play any event he or she so desires regardless of his or her ability while still fielding a
competitive team.  How do we do this?  We put together multiple teams, grouping the better
players on one team and the others on another.  The “best” team or team with more ability
participates in the All-Campus League, a year-long battle for the overall points title.  The other
team(s) is/are placed in the open leagues where their results do not count for
points—participating and competing are all that matter.

Building a Winning Franchise

	In the Spring of 1998, the Peacock Icons made their first appearance on the Intramural
scene as a volleyball team in the open division.  How times have changed in less than a year!  That
was only the beginning.  In the Fall semester of 1998, the Peacock Icons entered the All-Campus
era in both the men’s and co-ed leagues.  My co-captain and I were very excited to get started;
we wanted to jump right in and win it all.  We had it all wrong!  In actuality, we were nowhere
nearly prepared to become an All-Campus team.  We were lacking in almost every aspect of our
new undertaking:  too few players, too little experience, and not enough knowledge.  We have
since discovered that building a winning franchise is all about obtaining the things we lacked.
	We enjoyed very little success early in the season.  In fact, we won nothing, and
participation points were hardly enough to rocket the Icons to the top of the standings.  Our most
impressive accomplishment was a second place finish in golf thanks to our emergency captain,
Sam, a top golfer at his old high school.  However, we didn’t give up; we started to gain
experience as we played more and more events and recruited more players at every opportunity. 
One can never have enough knowledge, but we gained a lot in the everyday operation of the team
and continue to do so even now.  We learned so much about the Intramural program itself as well
as the department.  We know about the other teams, the administrators, the supervisors, and the
officials; so much of what we know now helps us to be more successful.  
Today, we are still not as complete as we would like to be, yet we are not a complete
stranger to success.  We put things together, battling our way to overall championships in several
events and participating in every single event—even the exhibition ones.  We were the only team
on campus to do so.  In addition, we finished fifth overall in the men’s All-Campus League and
second overall in the co-ed All-Campus League.  Needless to say, we were satisfied and even
somewhat impressed with the co-ed finish.

Our Cyber Ears and Mouth

	“Vrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeemmmmmmm!!” echoes the sound wave file that sounds as if Sir
Lancelot has just drawn from his side the energy resonating Excaliber.  So begins start-up of the
computer and hence, another day of cyber-intramurals.  The Peacock Icon Computer is an
extremely vital part of this now successful intramural team.  It is nothing flashy or ornate but
simply a whitish-gray assembly of silicon, plastic, and metal, yet it is the hub of communication
among all the Peacock Icons. 
	Why then is this computer so vitally important to the Peacock Icons? The computer is a
staple of our culture today; it is involved in almost anything we do—banking, driving, shopping,
communication, etc., and the Peacock Icons are no exception.  In order to successfully operate an
intramural team, it is necessary to have quick, to the point, and easy-to-access communication
among the team members, and e-mail provides just such a medium.  The computer’s e-mail is
responsible for getting over thirty players to over a hundred events consistently over the past two
years—a feat that is truly remarkable, knowing the difficulty, at times, of getting college students
to show up.  Simply put, the computer at Peacock Icon Headquarters is our mouth and ears.  It
allows us to “hear” what other Icons are saying and “speak” to them regarding Intramural events
and other affairs. There is no doubt in my mind that running an intramural program as successful
and extensive as the Peacock Icons would be virtually impossible without this computer.

On the Recruiting Trail

     Sometimes recruiting for team sports—especially co-ed—can be quite difficult.  Who you
get could very well mean the difference between being a good team and being a great team.  The
following phone conversation is an example of a routine call from a team member.  In this case, it
is Trent, one of the main team workhorses, speaking with me about volleyball recruitment. For
team I in co-ed volleyball, we needed one more girl to complete the roster which included Trent,
Brian, Angie B., Mandy B., and myself.  After several failed attempts at securing some of the top
talent on campus, we looked to a tall girl named Lauren. who played on our women’s basketball
team.  Upon reaching her via telephone, she informed me that she would be available to play. 
However, she also wanted her roommate Tara to play, and she pretty much implied that they
would come as a package deal, giving us four girls on a team that really only needed three.  Upon
hearing about this from another girl on our team, Trent called me to confirm what he had heard.
Kary:  Hello…
Trent:  (somewhat agitated) So you got ‘em both huh?
K:  (defensively) Yeah, I really didn’t have a choice.  We can do that; the girls will just have to
sub in and out.
T:  Yeah, we can do that.
K:  Is Tara really that bad?
T:  No…
K:  I thought you said she was?
T:  That’s only what I heard.  I’m sure she’s at least OK.
K:  I think she should be…She seems like a good athlete.
T:  Yeah, I heard she was a really good server and back row player.  We can just rotate her
and Lauren--Lauren for the front row and Tara for the back.
K:  Yeah, we’re gonna be fine.

At that point, the conversation turned to discuss Tara’s strong points and analysis of the
teams in our division.  By the way, Tara turned out to be quite a player—better than Lauren.  You
can never tell what your recruiting will do for the team; it must be tested in a game situation.

Leading the Way—An Interview with Co-Captain Brian Giesler

	As any All-Campus captain would probably tell you, running a team is not easy.  You have
to attend meetings, call people, e-mail people, make sure everyone shows up, collect student ID’s,
fill out paper work, etc.   But there are also positive aspects to the position, and seeing the team
you built succeed may be the most positive.  In this interview, we are able to examine the mind of
a captain.
K:  What are your primary responsibilities as co-captain of the Peacock Icons?
B:  I find out who’s playing what sport.   I’m co-editor of the newsletter.  When needed,  I attend
meetings.  
K:  What are the main reasons behind your motivation to run this team?
B:   To have fun.  
K:  Do you feel that your fellow teammates share this same motivation?  Why?
B:   Yes, some do. Others seem to take it too seriously. 
K:  What makes your position so fulfilling?
B:  Knowing that I have the authority to put myself on any team. Also, I know I have first shot at
playing any sport.
K:  What makes your position not so fulfilling?
B:  Trying to find people to play an hour before the event takes place. 
K:  What makes the All-Campus League better than the Open League?
B:   There are fewer forfeits.  We get to field a team in every sport. 
K:  As a fellow captain, I realize this is a hard job….Why?  What makes it so difficult?
B:   Not knowing who will call and say they won’t be able to play in that day’s event. Trying to
find people to play the unpopular events.
K:  What is the major problem preventing people from participating in events?
B:   Sometimes the IM department does not say when the event will be; they will only give a
deadline date and not the date of the event.  Sometimes we struggle to get a full team due to
not knowing when the event will take place.
K:  Why do Intramurals?  Why not some other group?
B:   It’s something fun to do.  I was friends with the majority of the Peacock Icons in high school. 
At this time, I have no reason to leave the Peacock Icons.
K:  Have you ever felt that helping to run this team isn’t worth it?  Why or why not?
B:   No.
K:  What are the chances that the Icons will continue after we, the captains, are gone?
B:   I think there’s a good chance.
K:  What do you think of the chances at an all-campus title next year?
B:   Men’s (league) will be hard.  We need to play better softball. I like our chances in co-ed. The
majority of our team will be back. We messed up in tennis, volleyball, and bowling. We had
our chances but we didn’t take advantage of them.  Hopefully, we will learn from these
mistakes and take it next year.  We won softball, and I didn’t think we would play on the
second day. We just need to keep the team together, and we will be a force.  We came on
strong in the end. Hopefully with the new events we’ll be able to bring home the title.
 
Our Latex Arch-Rival

	When you play Intramurals, you don’t really expect to get an arch rival, but we did—The
Latex Ponies.  This rivalry developed due mostly in part to a friend from high school named
Nathan.  Nathan is a good athlete and knowing this, we tried to recruit him as an Icon, but when
he elected to play with some of his new buddies (the Ponies), we were disappointed.  Eventually,
we got to know some of the Ponies and a friendly rivalry developed between our teams.
	That is where Lucy comes in.  The real Lucy is a  raccoon stuffed by taxidermist; she is
the Ponies’ mascot, and that is precisely why we have the imposter Lucy hanging from our
ceiling.  Our Lucy is a representation of the Ponies, and her hanging represents our desire to see
the Ponies go down at our hands.  In fact, we even have a rivalry trophy that is up for grabs
anytime there is a head-to-head Pony/Peacock match-up.  Unfortunately, we lost the trophy to the
Ponies in basketball and were unable to regain it in co-ed volleyball.  However, to this day, most
Peacock Icons will list beating the Ponies in men’s volleyball as their most memorable moment in
Intramurals.  It was the first time we ever got the trophy and probably the last.  It is doubtful that
the Ponies will return next year, but we will always have the memories of our friendly rivalry.  On
the surface, our conflict may seem silly, but the rivalry was truly real—it mattered more to us than
winning events.  
	“I think that they are helping us to achieve our best.  We strive to put them in their place,”
said Dana Barrett, one of the original six Peacock Icons, when asked about the Ponies.

www.Peacock.com:  the Icons in the Mainstream Media

	Any successful venture must have exposure to the outside world, and the Peacock Icons
do it in style.  Unlike any other Intramural team at USI, we have our own homepage on the
Internet, a taped “T.V.” show, and a newsletter.  The Icons can be seen world-wide at
http://www.geocities.com/colosseum/track/4471, a site that has pictures of the players, schedules
and much more.  Remarkably, the site has tallied over 1100 hits, and has drawn quite a few
compliments from visitors. The Official Peacock Icon Newsletter is written once a week and has a
circulation of about thirty people (mostly players but some outside fans).  Peacock Icons LIVE is
our taped “T.V.” show that can be seen only by those who get the tape—i.e. team members and
fans.  We tape it as often as possible (usually once a week) and try to make it as comical as
possible.  Each week, we have a different guest on the show to discuss Icon business—we have
even had two Latex Ponies on the show, during which we tried to make them look bad.
	In addition to our media services, we also have two student nurses who have treated team
members in the past for afflictions ranging from treating a cut finger to applying ointment and
bandages to an appendectomy scar.  Our head nurse Kristy is on call twenty-four hours a day for
any Peacock Icon just in case someone needs minor medical attention.

Gimme an “I”……… Cheering the Icons while Baking

	Dana Barrett is one of the original six Peacock Icons and will be leaving us after this year
due to graduation.  She has served as head cheerleader and head of the bakery division.  In other
words, she cheers for us at important games and makes pies and cakes when needed for a special
occasion.  This is the first time we will lose a team member to graduation, and we will most
certainly miss Dana.  The following questions will show just how dedicated Dana is.
Kary:  What are some of the advantages/disadvantages of your position?
Dana:  My pie baking abilities are much better (advantage).
                  I can’t get to every activity (disadvantage).
K:  What have you done individually to better the Peacock Icons as a whole?
D:  Pies:  I’ve kept them fed.
K:  You were one of the original six Peacock Icons….How will your legacy affect future
Icons?
D:  They will have to strive to become true Icons.  They need to play with the spirit the
original six played with.

Conclusion

	Our first year as an All-Campus squad has come to a close, and we have a lot to show for
it.  We have new players, incoming recruits, invaluable experience and a greater understanding of
Intramural world at USI.  To celebrate, we attended the Intramural Awards Banquet on
Wednesday, April 28, 1999 at 9:00 pm in PAC 200.  What we received here gave us all a real
sense of accomplishment—especially me.  No, we did not get any of the three feet tall trophies
presented to the All-Campus champions nor did we get athlete of the year.  I was honored as the
All-Campus Captain of the year, but more importantly, we received the Team Sportsmanship
Award for outstanding sportsmanship throughout the year.  To me, that says it all.  Despite not
having won an All-Campus title, we showed that we have character and promise for next year. 
Trent, Brian, and I all decided that next year would be our year to take all three All-Campus
trophies:  Men’s, Women’s, and Co-Ed, but I think our main goal is still to have fun by doing all
the other stuff we do other than sports.  After all, we are a pseudosubculture, and I get to be a
part of it for two more years.  The best is most definitely yet to come—on and off the court.

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