AMES, Iowa — Monday is the start of the Iowa State University Women’s Basketball Team’s season and the Cyclones will have some extra special fans attend the game — elementary and middle school children.

Monday’s game is the ‘Field Trip Day’ game where ISU set aside thousands of tickets for school children to attend the game for free at Hilton Coliseum. This year 4,200 students from 40 schools will attend.

Bill Fennelly, the Head Coach of the Iowa State Women’s Basketball Team, said that Field Trip Day is a great way to introduce young kids to sports.

“It’s a great way for young people to be exposed to a university setting, collegiate sporting event for a lot of these young people. Maybe it’s the first time on a college campus, first time going to a college game, and hopefully, it sticks with them and they become Iowa State fans, Iowa State students,” Fennelly said.

Field Trip Day started in 2016 and since then has provided free tickets for thousands of children.

Ailli Tanke, a freshman guard on the team and Johnston native, said she was inspired as a child when she attended Field Trip Day games.

“I used to skip school and come to field trips in the field trip game every year, so it’ll be cool to now be on the court instead of in the stands. And it’s kind of like a surreal, surreal full circle moment,” Tanke said.

The Iowa State Cyclones will face off against the Chicago State Cougars at 11:00 a.m.