Bouncers give details on job requirements, responsibilities

Standing at 6 feet tall and weighing about 200 pounds each, Kyle Oliver, a junior human services major, and Nicolas Ruscitti, a senior recreation and tourism major, are an imposing bulwark for any partygoers that are looking for trouble.

"To be a bouncer, you must have size and experience because you're not only taking care of yourself, but also taking care of everyone else, as well," Ruscitti said. "You really have to have no fear and be smart about your actions."

As former bouncers for local nightclub Club 970, Oliver and Ruscitti said a typical night would begin around 6 p.m. when they would set up the stage equipment and ensure the club was ready for the evening. Once patrons arrived, both Oliver and Ruscitti checked ID cards, marked peoples' hands with a large black "X" and monitored the activity inside until their shift ended at 2:30 a.m.

Both said there was a sense of danger associated with the job. Oliver said he remembered one particular confrontation when a gang member brandished a gun shortly after being escorted from the club.

"You really have a steady mind to do the job, and you really have to be on top of things, so you can assess all the situations that might come at you," Oliver said.

However, Oliver also said such incidents were isolated and most common issues he and Ruscitti encountered were underage drinking and attempted use of fake ID cards, which rarely required police assistance.

Despite the graveyard shift associated with the job, Oliver and Ruscitti said the job itself doesn't affect their school schedule because they are still able complete their schoolwork and enjoy what they are doing.

Along with the sporadic dangers that the job entails, Oliver and Ruscitti said there were some benefits that came with the job.

"As a bouncer, you're out there about two or three nights a week, so you feel like you're a part of the crowd, and you get to meet a lot of different people," Oliver said. "It's just a very interesting and fun experience."