Starting today, months of training will come down to three days of glory as NIU fraternities compete in Tugs, the Sigma Phi Epsilon philanthropy.

Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Pi, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Phi Sigma Kappa will compete this year. Matches will take place at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. today, Wednesday and Friday at the Sigma Phi Epsilon house.

Tugs has been Sigma Phi Epsilon’s philanthropy for more than 20 years, and all proceeds go to the Earhart Foundation. About 2,000 people are expected to attend this year, said Sassan Ashouri, a Sigma Phi Epsilon Tugs caller, or coach.

Tugs is a strategic tug-of-war match featuring two different ropes of 11 men on each side with a 195-pound weight limit. Winners either take the rope completely from the other team or take advantage by pulling the knot outside of the neutral zone, which is about a one-foot area, Ashouri said.

Training for Tugs involves months of practice, with some teams starting as early as January or February. Teams practice about an hour-and-a-half to two hours per day, usually running about two miles, holding practice matches between people in the house and practicing different moves. Because of class times, practices may not start until close to midnight and end as late as two in the morning, Ashouri said.

Ashouri said teams practice so hard for Tugs because they represent their respective chapters on Greek Row. He also said observers “respect the tuggers because they know how much goes into it.”

Tickets are $5 today and $6 on Wednesday and Friday. Wednesday and Friday’s admission is $1 off if a canned good is donated or Monday’s program is presented.