Newspaper Page Text
Page 12
Sports
Maroon Tieer
March 23, 1978
We Must Support Our Teams
Why Students
Aren't Coming
by JEROME WALKER
BY WALTER PARRISH
Brothers, we must support
our teams. We, as a student
body do very little to encourage
our teams on to victory. I don’t
know whether it’s because we
don’t care to see our teams,
whether we lack pertinent in
formation regarding where
they will play, or because
athletics just don’t mean
anything to us, but we must
start supporting 'our teams
better.
Many times we do not attend
the sporting events simply
because we do not care to see
that particular team play.
However, we must be mindful
of the fact thai these teams
represent us, Morehouse, and
we should encourage them as
much- as possible. We must
consider the time the students
who play on these teams spend
away from studying. It is a
sacrifice; no matter how large
or small.
It is upsetting to go to a
basketball game and see only
about a sixth of the student
body there. I hate to think that
the only time we can fill Archer
Hall Gym with enthusiastic
fans is on Spirit Night. Why
must we wait until Spirit Night
to show the Basketball team
our support? We should have
no problem at least filling the
Gym for every home game our
Basketball team plays.
I know that a problem exists
in getting the news to everyone
when the teams will be
playing, but that is no excuse
either. Morehouse is a school
where students getting in
touch with other students can
make or break any event. I see
no reason why the students
can’t be willing to pass the
word along about basketball
and football games. For exam
ple, last semester half of the
student body of Morehouse
showed up at the gym on a
weekday afternoon because it
had been rumored that the
Philadelphia 76ers and the in
famous Dr. J. were going to be
practicing in the gym.
Brothers, if we can pass a
rumor throughout the campus,
that quickly then surely we
should be able to pass truthful
information around campus
concerning our teams.
It has also appeared to me
that many of our sporting
events have ended up looking
more like a fashion show than
an athletic contest.
Theoretically, the fans are in
the stands to give the team en
couragement through cheers,
clapping, etc. When the fans
can’t help the teams by cheer
ing because they are afraid of
getting their new item of cloth
ing wet, it takes away froni the
team’s morale. This not only
takes away from the team, but
it also makes the fans who
went to cheer uneasy.
In talking to some students
around campus. I have noticed
them speaking negatively of
some of the members of our
teams. Is this reason enough
not to attend the games? We
cannot allow ourselves to be
hindered by the fact that
everyone on all of our teams is
not everybody’s best friend.
We must cheer for them
because they are representing
us.
Brothers, we must get
behind our teams and let them
know that we are encouraging
them. I wrote this article, not
in an attempt to criticize
anyone, but to encourage all of
us to start to support all of our
teams in all of their efforts. We
would appreciate more en
couragement from the ad
ministration, faculty, alumni,
and our sisters at Spelman.
Although we can benefit from
the added support of these
groups of people, the largest
part of the burden falls on us.
Let’s get out and support our
track, tennis, and baseball
teams this Spring. Let’s not
only support them but let’s get
out and cheer all of our teams
on to victory.
WIN
$100
Writers: You can win $100; $50 or
$25 in cash and book prizes for best
short story, humorous essay, or
other short pieces between 250 and
1000 words—with free copy of win
ning COLLEGE CONTEM
PORARIES Magazine for all—if
you enter the Collegiate Creative
Writing Contest whose deadline is
APRIL 25. For rules and official
entry form, send self-addressed,
stamped envelope to:
International Publications, 4747
Fountain Ave., Dept. C-3, Los
Angeles, CA 90029:
Editor’s Cote: Since being at
Morehouse, it has come to my
attention that the students
who attend the athletic events
are both scarce in number, and
short in enthusiasm. I hate to
feel that the apathy that
everyone talks about is ac
tually that strong on this cam
pus. Mr. Jerome Walker
undertook the task of asking
some of the students why they
are skipping the games. Here
are his findings.
There are many different
reasons why students do not
attend the athletic events at
Morehouse College. The
students gave reasons such as:
the games are held on days
that are designated for
studying, the athletic events
are not important, Morehouse
is not unified and does not
have much team spirit,
Morehouse does not keep win
ning teams, the stadium where
the football team plays is too
far away from the school, and
so on. One of the most common
reasons given was there is not
enough done to inform the
students when Morehouse will
be taking part in athletic-
events.
The solutions given to im
prove the situation are as
different as the reasons given
for lack of attendance. All of
the students feel the reasons
they gave seem logical and in
fact, a couple of them are worth
consideration. For example,
many students suggested that
the place where the school
plays its football games could
be moved closer to the school.
This is a good suggestion
because many students have
trouble finding their way out to
Lakewood Stadium.
Other solutions offered that
would increase student.atten
dance at the events are:
Morehouse should win with
more regularity, and the
school should be more
concerned with informing the
students of the days and times
of these athletic events.
Hopefully, the students’
suggestions/complaints will
be taken into consideration so
the attendance at all
Morehouse athletic evsnts will
increase.