2008 Woodie Awards
::Editorial::
Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: Sports
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In American culture, sports serve as a unifying force in communities. Our cities bleed the colors of their hometown teams. On college campuses though, sports represent something more. Something deeper. Collegiate athletics are a rallying force for students, alumni, faculty and fans hailing from or living in the community surrounding the countless universities across the country, West Chester being one of them.
Here nestled in Chester County in the shadow of Philadelphia, it is evident that here, sports play a vital role in the communal bonding of its inhabitants. The West Chester University community has illustrated its love and loyalty to their warriors adorned in purple and gold, especially in recent years.
Hollinger Field House hosted the PSAC men's basketball final four for the first time in school history in the spring of 2006. Farrell Stadium was filled to the brim a few times this fall as the Golden Rams football team marched to its second PSAC East division championship since 2004, and Hollinger was a buzz during an exciting women's volleyball season whose crowds mirrored those gathered to support a Lady Rams basketball team that appears to be poised for greatness. The support is there.
However, from all of us, the students, the faculty and most importantly the administration all need to improve the way we support our teams.
Make an effort to transform the athletic program at West Chester University, a school boasting the most intercollegiate and club sports of any institution in the nation, from a pleasant diversion from classes, into something that we all can be proud of, into that defining aspect of this proud academic institution.
During all of the excitement and positive momentum surrounding our teams this past semester, there were indeed issues that were brought to our attention that we simply cannot sit idly by and let pass without at least mentioning them here for public record.
Firstly, while this campus was surely buzzing during the playoff runs made by the football and women's soccer teams, the students at large appeared to be ambivalent at best during the successful regular season campaigns that created lasting memories, momentous victories, historic events, some of which fell on blind eyes and deaf ears of the empty bleachers at Farrell Stadium, the South Campus Soccer Field. These teams deserve your support. You owe it to the athletes representing this school in the most positive of ways, to make your way to their games. You owe it to yourself to cheer until your heart's content.
Here nestled in Chester County in the shadow of Philadelphia, it is evident that here, sports play a vital role in the communal bonding of its inhabitants. The West Chester University community has illustrated its love and loyalty to their warriors adorned in purple and gold, especially in recent years.
Hollinger Field House hosted the PSAC men's basketball final four for the first time in school history in the spring of 2006. Farrell Stadium was filled to the brim a few times this fall as the Golden Rams football team marched to its second PSAC East division championship since 2004, and Hollinger was a buzz during an exciting women's volleyball season whose crowds mirrored those gathered to support a Lady Rams basketball team that appears to be poised for greatness. The support is there.
However, from all of us, the students, the faculty and most importantly the administration all need to improve the way we support our teams.
Make an effort to transform the athletic program at West Chester University, a school boasting the most intercollegiate and club sports of any institution in the nation, from a pleasant diversion from classes, into something that we all can be proud of, into that defining aspect of this proud academic institution.
During all of the excitement and positive momentum surrounding our teams this past semester, there were indeed issues that were brought to our attention that we simply cannot sit idly by and let pass without at least mentioning them here for public record.
Firstly, while this campus was surely buzzing during the playoff runs made by the football and women's soccer teams, the students at large appeared to be ambivalent at best during the successful regular season campaigns that created lasting memories, momentous victories, historic events, some of which fell on blind eyes and deaf ears of the empty bleachers at Farrell Stadium, the South Campus Soccer Field. These teams deserve your support. You owe it to the athletes representing this school in the most positive of ways, to make your way to their games. You owe it to yourself to cheer until your heart's content.
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