As a not-so-recent Fairfield graduate (1973), I find it very disappointing to see the lack of school spirit and student participation at Stag games on campus and at Harbor Yard.
I understand that today’s college student has many more distractions and entertainment choices than we did, such as cable television, computers, the Internet, DVDs and video gaming, but the pride, excitement and just plain fun of cheering for your school and your fellow students is part of the college experience that too many of today’s Fairfield students seem to be missing out on.
School spirit can’t be taught or created, but the University needs to do more to create an environment in which the students have a fun experience that will make them come back for more.
Men’s basketball has always been the premier sport at Fairfield and the move to Harbor Yard, while it has helped the basketball program, has not resulted in getting more students to the games. The idea of “Build it and they will come” just doesn’t work today. Going to home games off campus in Bridgeport is inconvenient and expensive, and students get the worst seats in the building; it is not surprising that student attendance is off. Siena College doesn’t charge its students to attend games in the Times Union Center off campus in Albany, and the school places its students on the floor behind the baskets so they can feel as though they are right in the action. Unfortunately, this is not so at Fairfield.
Coach Cooley and Coach Frager are bringing new energy and excitement to Stag basketball, but more needs to be done to get more students involved again. Stag students need to feel that they are an important part of Stag athletics and this should include free tickets, free food at the games, halftime contests with decent prizes and a reward system for students who go to games and participate.
If Big 10 Ohio State has to reward its students for going to their games, then why shouldn’t Fairfield do the same?
Fairfield University is not just men’s basketball. Stag soccer, both men’s and women’s, and men’s lacrosse have seen increases in student participation in recent years but Stag volleyball has not for some reason.
The University needs to do a better job of finding out what the students want and like at all Stag games.
Promotion of Stag sports to the students needs to be better. Free chicken wings and pizza is great at the games, but if the students don’t know about it then what good is it?
Stags in the Stands, the pep band, cheerleaders and dance team all are doing their part to make the game day experience fun and exciting. They deserve credit as do the students who attend games regularly.
I have heard some alumni say that today’s Fairfield students are a bunch of rich kids who couldn’t care less about going to a game, and if they don’t go then that’s fine. That may be the case, but these alumni are not going to games in red wigs or dressed like a red version of Braveheart to cheer on the Stags and rattle the opposition.
Just ask any coach or player what a difference it makes to the team when the students are there and are a factor. The teams feed off that energy.
Start this Sunday in Alumni Hall for Stag volleyball and later in the month at Harbor Yard and Alumni Hall for Stag basketball; go to a game, make some noise, get loud and rowdy cheering for your fellow classmates, and you just might find out the school spirit can be a lot more fun than you thought it was.
You only have four years at Fairfield, so don’t miss out on a great part of college life.
Leave a Reply