Contrary to popular belief, every team on campus that dons the red and white and call themselves ‘Stags’ has a lot more in common than you think.
Let’s start with the fall sports.
Last season, under the leadership and play of leading-scorer Sam Bailey ’08, the men’s soccer team completed yet another dominant season as a convincing compliment to the team’s postseason success in the NCAA tournament a year ago.
But aside from the occasional tailgate or the all-too-frequent ‘free T-shirt’ promotions, crowds were few and far between. Both men’s and women’s soccer were forced to play most of their games in front of family and alumni.
Over at Alumni Hall, a talented senior class led by Lindsay Lee ’08 was the perfect formula for success for women’s volleyball, which won 17 in-conference games and made another MAAC championship appearance.
Yet, on the night of the MAAC championship game, volleyball fans from upstate New York cheering Siena outnumbered Fairfield students, who only needed to make the trip from their dorms.
Notice the trend?
And, no, I am not referring to the sports teams’ convincing success, although that too continued throughout the season.
New women’s basketball head coach Joe Frager shined in his debut season, as the Stags finished with a remarkable 22 victories on the year, the fourth-highest win total in program history.
Unfortunately, though, many of senior Sabra Wrice’s ’08 finest shots fell on deaf ears.
Even vibrant head coach Ed Cooley and the high-profile men’s basketball team had trouble drawing crowds to endure the daunting seven-minute trip on I-95.
Aside from a thrilling sell-out against cross-town rival Sacred Heart, almost all of the team’s games were played with little fan support.
Nobody saw senior Marty O’Sullivan ’08 stifle first-round NBA forward Jason Thompson of Rider. A late season surge was little more than an afterthought.
Rather than a home court advantage, the Stags were left with a relatively elderly college crowd and a stark black banner at the Arena at Harbor Yard to mask the embarrassment of empty seats.
If there is a lesson to be learned based on the past year’s experiences, it is this: the ‘Red Sea’ is nothing more than a pipedream or a reminiscent story of by-gone days of Fairfield glory.
FUSA will feed you the idea that student pride is alive and well at Fairfield, that you feel left out if you don’t wear red on a Friday and that sporting events are the place to be.
Unfortunately, though, this is not the case.
Low fan turnout at Fairfield is nothing new. Ask any recent graduate or fan.
The truth is, though, that some students would rather take a cab for a night at the beach than take a road trip to see a softball game.
It comes down to choices.
Students have every right to enjoy a night out on the weekend and should do so.
But a night at a game could be just as memorable.
In fact, one of the memories of my first two years at Fairfield involves the Alumni Hall floor literally shaking due to the deafening noise on the night it opened its doors to basketball again in November 2006.
While many of you reading this may indeed go out of your way to experience that same excitement and go to games here and there, there are undoubtedly many students at Fairfield who have never or will never experience one of those moments.
Until that day comes, the ‘Red Sea’ will continue to be nothing more than a myth.
Prove me wrong.
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