On Wednesday, March 26, the Student Activity Board (SAB) hosted its annual Uno Tournament at the Patriot Cafe on the CF Ocala Campus. The event lasted from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., providing students with a packed hour of classic competition and socialization.
Four tables were reserved for competitive play, after which the winning players moved to the middle table reserved for a championship round. Meanwhile, a larger “for fun” section featured Giant Uno and rainbow card decks for casual play.
The event featured a tiered prize pool for competitive players. Winners of the initial rounds in the four-table setup were treated to their choice of a $10 Chick-fil-A gift card or an equivalent meal certificate for The Patriot Cafe. Those victorious in the second round were awarded an additional $10 Wawa gift card. Multiple rounds were held, with numerous students earning a total of $20 in value.
“I was very surprised,” said two-round winner Samuel Mance when asked his thoughts about the prize selection. “I did not know that there were any prizes. I thought that if there was a prize, it was going to be like a coupon to get a free lunch at the cafeteria or something.”
According to SAB President Jessica Martinez, planning for this year’s event was challenging.
“Usually, we have records of previous events,” Martinez said. “As you know, [the] Uno Tournament is something we do every year, and we couldn’t find those records. But I think every event is a growing journey for us, and I think today was a success, even though we had very little background info.”
This reinvention process made way for new ideas unseen in previous iterations of the tournament. Martinez specifically noted a new system they created to keep track of winners by placing a blue dot sticker on the triumphant students’ hands.
Despite the team’s efforts, the event was attended by only 40 students, which one SAB member described as “not many.” By comparison, the 2024 tournament featured an attendance of 50 students, marking a 20% decrease over the past two years.
While the reasons for such a shift are unclear, the students who did show up appeared to enjoy the experience. It reflected a continued effort by the SAB to provide fun, interactive and social experiences for students at the Ocala Campus.
