Whenever someone asks me where I go to college, I answer with pride. To the inevitable follow up question, I respond that I am indeed having the time of my life. Don’t get me wrong, I love W&L, but there’s something about high school that I miss.
What I miss is the excitement around sporting events such as football and the electric atmosphere that W&L lacks.
As a high school student, I vividly remember that feeling of euphoria after eighth period on a Friday. After fall classes, I’d speed-walk to the pep rally, which involved a competition such as a hot dog eating contest (I went to an all-boys school) and an emphatic speech from one of the football players before the game.
Almost the whole school would attend these pep rallies. And a few hours later, the games were no different. When I reminisce, the little things such as the post-touchdown mosh pits, the “you can’t do that” chants, and that one dude who made it his goal to verbally abuse any opposing player under 5-foot-7 come to mind.
Saying goodbye to the opposing student section after a win was often the highlight of the week. Even after losses, it was still a good time to talk with friends and people I didn’t see regularly.
Some of these games gave me memories I will never forget, such as a double digit comeback against a team we hadn’t beaten in 26 years and an upset win against our bitter rival on a blocked field goal. I’ll always remember watching how our usually stoic coach proceeded to high-five every student in sight.
After football season, the same energy would continue into basketball season with more heckling and concentrated yelling during the opposing team’s free throw attempts. Following one of these missed free throws in a game against our rival, a player on my high school’s team rebounded the ball with five or so seconds on the clock, down by two. He then fired a three from long distance. It went in.
To make the story even better, students dedicated the game to one of the team’s star players who had suffered a severe spinal injury during a car crash earlier that year. As my friends and I stormed the court, I thought of ESPN’s 2019 ad campaign: “There’s no place like sports.”
When spring came around, I found myself at track meets, lacrosse games and soccer matches. I was there not only to support my friends but also because I knew I was in for a good time, although they didn’t quite draw the crowd that football and basketball games did.
Unfortunately, I can’t describe W&L sporting events with this same fondness. During my freshman year, I went to a few football games, where the most notable aspect was the sunlight reflecting off of the empty bleachers.
Also, the sound system sounded like it was underwater (the speakers have been greatly improved since), and every individual yell, either of elation or disappointment, could be heard clearly.
Over the past calendar year, I attended basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer, track, lacrosse and swimming events. At each, I sat by myself, unless I was lucky enough to find someone I knew.
Over the years, university students and the administration have made efforts to improve attendance at games, such as the creation of the “Spirit Squad,” “Bleed Blue” games, and parents weekend tailgates. These initiatives have all been creative but not especially successful.
One theory behind their ineffectiveness could be the fact that they rely on students’ sense of charity. These initiatives call for supporting our athlete peers and the generic ideal of school spirit.
While honorable, these forms of motivation are not sufficient in convincing a large number of W&L students to block off two vital hours for the sole purpose of charity. There are always assignments, midterms, fraternity and sorority events and required practices that come before sporting events.
Additionally, although games are free to attend, W&L requires a significant financial commitment for both tuition and Greek life dues. In my opinion, this steep price inclines many W&L students to spend copious hours improving their grades and greek organizations but it doesn’t incline any of us to give back to the school in the form of school spirit. In my opinion, we should attend sporting events not for charitable reasons, but for our own enjoyment.
Take a second to imagine the atmospheres we could create with just half or a quarter of our student body population. If my high school could pack the student section at every basketball and football game with only 500 students, think what W&L’s student body of basically 1,900 could do.
Sure, it would pale in comparison to the size of student sections at nearby state schools, but at Washington and Lee, we have the advantage of knowing our athletes.
A little over a week ago, I watched the Generals basketball team play against James Madison University on ESPN+. It was so cool to say that at one point in the game, I knew four of the five players on the court. Very few schools have that.
Another advantage we have is the accessibility of these games. Pretty much all of W&L’s athletic venues are within a 15-minute walk of each other and anywhere students live.
Additionally, as someone who has covered many different sports teams for the Ring-Tum Phi, I can confirm that our athletes work hard to put a good but sometimes unnoticed product on the field.
After being a Washington and Lee student for roughly one and a half years, it is a dream of mine to experience a packed gym or stadium full of cheering students at least once. I want to see Generals enjoying each other’s company and supporting their peers on the field.
If no one else shares that dream, so be it. But I doubt I’m the only one who feels this way. It would take unprecedented student coordination, a little self sacrifice, maybe involvement from fraternities and sororities and who knows what else.
It may never happen, but it can’t hurt to dream.
