TO MOST Cavaliers, the only two athletic teams at the University are the men's football and basketball squads. They draw the biggest crowds, the most featured stories, and the most purchased apparel. Sure, this is true of most institutions of higher education nationwide, as well as in the professional arena. But if the University is to pride itself on being the buzzword intellectual community it so often boasts, it must truly be a population that supports all of its members in their endeavors.
Consider what has happened this year. In the fall, everyone and their mothers went to the football games at Scott Stadium. They donned the traditional attire, cheered their hearts out, and sang the "Good Ol' Song" after every point. Come winter, everyone who could fit in University Hall's limited student section thrilled at the young team's improvement over last year's record, and rushed the court after the victories over North Carolina and Maryland. Now it's spring, the weather's great, our teams need our support, and yet we don't go to their contests.
All athletic teams represent the University. They practice every day so that they can make themselves and the University proud. Their triumphs are our triumphs, and their setbacks are our setbacks. We owe it to them to show our gratitude for what they sacrifice in the name of athletic success -- success that isn't only their team's, but our school's.
The year may be winding down, but it's not too late to improve attendance at athletic events. There are over 18,000 students and 2,000 faculty members here. Many of us aren't too busy to take a couple of hours out of the day to cheer for a group of students who work at least 3 hours a day, every day, in hopes of attracting our attention.
The men's and women's lacrosse teams are having phenomenal seasons, and are nationally ranked second and eighth, respectively. The men look ready to defend last year's national title, and the women very well may make it at least to the Final Four. Both these teams deserve our attention, so we should show it by attending their matches. The men play ACC rival Duke on Saturday at seven, and the women host George Mason next Wednesday.
The baseball and softball teams aren't having seasons as good as the lacrosse teams, but this isn't entirely their fault. If we students simply showed up at a few games to cheer these hard workers on, then they would surely win a few more games. Home field advantage is underrated, and there's nothing that can fuel an improved performance better than energetic and supportive fans. We owe this to them.
It's important to start with the community, and then build a team around that strong support. In an interview, head baseball coach Dennis Womack gave an example: "LSU got the community involved before they started winning games, and this fed on itself ... now the team is perennial national champion." The most important part of community involvement is that the athletes can feel their presence. In an interview, head softball coach Cheryl Sprangel said, "There's nothing greater for an athlete that comes through in the clutch, and then feels and hears the support of the crowd."
Perhaps the most un-watched, but the most exciting athletic team here is the Track and Field team. These athletes practice year round in their individual events, and rarely get the opportunity to showcase their talent to their peers. This weekend they will finally get that chance. On Saturday, the University is hosting the Lou Onesty/M.G. Abramson Invitational at Lannigan Field. There's a reason that track and field is the most watched event of the summer Olympics. These contests are full of exciting, fast-paced races, come from behind victories, and huge feats of strength. Many people have never been to a track meet, and they will realize what they've been missing when they show their support on Saturday.
It's not just spring sports that go unnoticed. The glamour of football and basketball draws even more attention away from the fall and winter athletes. The men's and women's soccer teams are actually better than the football team, and yet get less attention and support. Next year we should all try to cheer them on at least once, as they are sure to go as far as they did this year. In the winter, the men's and women's swim and dive teams held their own in both the ACC and at the national championships. Swim meets are just as exciting as a basketball game, and you don't even have to show up two hours early just to get a seat.
Let's try to become more supportive of the athletic members of our intellectual community next year. They go through as much academic rigor as we do, and still find the time to practice their sports an additional three hours a day. We owe it to them to take a few hours out of our busy schedules to show them we appreciate what they do for the University. When you go to an athletic contest to support a University team, you're not just showing that you're a sports fan. You're showing that you're a University fan, and that you're proud of this school and all it has to offer in any area.
(Brandon Almond is a Cavalier Daily associate editor.)
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