When it comes to Horned Frog spirit, seniors Kelly Barnes and Nile Elam travel the distance to show their purple pride. Although both seniors have internships in Washington this semester, Barnes, a political science major and Elam, a history major, fly to all of the university’s home football games to cheer the Frogs on as members of the TCU Rangers, a new student organization on campus.

“We have a phenomenal football team and some people have really underestimated how much work has gone into this football team and I think the least we can do is honor them with this group,” Elam said. “I would like this team to get a dedicated group of fans that they deserve.”

Barnes said TCU Rangers developed during a new student participation committee called Back the Frogs in May 2009. The Back the Frogs committee focused on ways to increase student participation.

“Students at TCU can be pretty apathetic sometimes about football and sports in general,” Barnes said. “We wanted to create a new tradition where we could get students involved and get excitement going about football games.”

Carter English, senior marketing major and president of the TCU Rangers, said the Rangers march behind the band into the stadium an hour before the game, defend the Frog Horn and raise the goal net behind the goal post. Six different members are chosen to work home football games, which allows all members to get a chance to stand on the field.

The Rangers’ western outfits promote the university as the only Texas school in the Mountain West Conference, English said. Rangers wear western attire, including cowboy hats and white or purple button down shirts.

Along with wearing uniforms, Rangers must have junior or senior standing and have a 2.75 GPA, English said. Since the organization was formed during the summer, a private recruitment took place and members were selected based on their involvement on campus and leadership ability.

John Festervand, assistant director of marketing for the university’s athletic program and adviser to the TCU Rangers, said recruitment is open to all students regardless of race or gender.

Formal recruitment will begin this spring and announcements will be made via yard signs and e-mail including the starting date for recruitment, Festervand said.