With the most recent success of our men’s basketball team this past spring, students are curious to see if the immense increase in school spirit that emerged in the spring semester has carried over to this semester’s fall sports.
One editor said, “There was a surge of school spirit shot into the campus community [last semester] because of the success of our athletes. It really helped that they were doing well, and the bench was making headlines.”
The major publicity of our basketball team has led many students to question whether this surge in school spirit would benefit other sports in the upcoming year.
Well, the year has come and many editors agree that the school spirit and anticipation at the University has amplified for the upcoming basketball season; however, it isn’t as clear how the school spirit has affected this year’s fall sports.
One editor said, “I think the school spirit has carried over. The anticipation for this upcoming basketball season is higher than it probably has been before. [But,] even though Monmouth has very good soccer teams, I feel that the build-up for those seasons was the same as in past seasons.”
Unfortunately, the other editors tend to agree that the fall sports still are not getting as much love as they deserve. Our football team is doing an incredible job recently with a current record of 2-2, but it doesn’t look like attendance has risen for their student section .
According to statistics found on the University’s athletic page, the first home football game of the 2015 season was Sept. 4 and 3,081 people attended. The first Football game of the 2016 season was Sept. 24 and there were 2,801 people in attendance.
Other teams that have yet to gain much recognition include the men’s and women’s soccer teams, but as one editor pointed out, these teams have yet to have many home games.
In the home games they have played, there have been some changes in attendence. On the other hand, the first men’s soccer game of the 2015 season was Sept. 4 and 317 people attended. The first men’s soccer game of the 2016 season was Aug. 26 and there were 1,13 people in attendance showing an increase. Yet women’s soccer has seen a decrease. There were 455 people at their first game in 2015 and only 266 people at their first game this season.
It is optimistic of us to think that the school pride and spirit we all felt as University students last semester would carry over to more sports. While it doesn’t seem like that is happening all that much, we should still make an effort to give fall sports a chance to get us excited. One editor said that she and her friends actually have started attending some fall sporting events and that a huge influence was the basketball team’s success. No matter how small the increase in attendance, any bit helps.
Our fall teams definitely deserve more recognition. It may be too early to tell, but we should have high hopes that fall sports will get a more rowdy and involved student section. The previous basketball season should have had an effect on students and their pride in being a Hawk. Students should definitely get more involved with the fall sports and make their atmospheres as high spirited and proud as we were as a student body for last spring. Here’s to getting rowdy for fall sports!
