2008 Woodie Awards
Cheering on SIUE's Division I transition
Levi Kirby
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: Opinion
This year marks a historic change at SIUE, moving up to the Division I level. The coaching staffs and players from every sport are working hard to up their game; I think the fans should too.
The transition to D-I is not going to be an easy one. SIUE is renovating the Vadalabene Center to help accommodate the change. Nearly every player I have spoken with has said it is going to be a very challenging switch that will bring a new level of intensity, competition and toughness.
It is going to be a fun and exciting change though. Bigger games, more attention brought to SIUE, harder competition and a list of things beyond those.
Just as all the players and coaches are expected to rise to the challenge, I believe the students should be held responsible as well. When I say students I mean fans, but they should be synonymous. Any student at SIUE, even if they are not into sports, should be a fan.
Any student here should be proud to represent SIUE and excited to cheer on other students representing our school. Students should be as excited about going D-I as the players and coaches are.
One downside to the switch to D-I is this year all of the sports teams, with the exception of basketball, are playing mostly on the road. The majority of sports have very few home games. Since we do have very few home games, nobody has many excuses not to come to at least some.
Men and women's soccer both only have three home games. The cross country teams only get to play at home during the SIUE Border Wars. The same goes for nearly every team.
SIUE Head Coach Kevin Kalish of the men's soccer team is hoping to see a lot of fans at the only three home games they have, and I am almost certain the same goes for all the coaches and players.
We need a packed house of crazy Cougar fans at every home game this year. Just as the players have to step up, the fans need to step up as well. We need to show all those big D-I schools we can be just as crazy as them, and we belong.
We need face paint, body paint, hair dye, big foam fingers and a lot of screaming any time another D-I school comes onto our turf.
Even if they beat us in our first year, the players won't forget us, and the fans should be right behind them.
The transition to D-I is not going to be an easy one. SIUE is renovating the Vadalabene Center to help accommodate the change. Nearly every player I have spoken with has said it is going to be a very challenging switch that will bring a new level of intensity, competition and toughness.
It is going to be a fun and exciting change though. Bigger games, more attention brought to SIUE, harder competition and a list of things beyond those.
Just as all the players and coaches are expected to rise to the challenge, I believe the students should be held responsible as well. When I say students I mean fans, but they should be synonymous. Any student at SIUE, even if they are not into sports, should be a fan.
Any student here should be proud to represent SIUE and excited to cheer on other students representing our school. Students should be as excited about going D-I as the players and coaches are.
One downside to the switch to D-I is this year all of the sports teams, with the exception of basketball, are playing mostly on the road. The majority of sports have very few home games. Since we do have very few home games, nobody has many excuses not to come to at least some.
Men and women's soccer both only have three home games. The cross country teams only get to play at home during the SIUE Border Wars. The same goes for nearly every team.
SIUE Head Coach Kevin Kalish of the men's soccer team is hoping to see a lot of fans at the only three home games they have, and I am almost certain the same goes for all the coaches and players.
We need a packed house of crazy Cougar fans at every home game this year. Just as the players have to step up, the fans need to step up as well. We need to show all those big D-I schools we can be just as crazy as them, and we belong.
We need face paint, body paint, hair dye, big foam fingers and a lot of screaming any time another D-I school comes onto our turf.
Even if they beat us in our first year, the players won't forget us, and the fans should be right behind them.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Angie
posted 9/04/08 @ 11:08 PM CST
Cheering on SIUE's Division I this year will be an amazing group of cheerleaders. Very competitive tryouts were held last Spring and those selected for the squad were some of the most talented athletes in the midwest. (Continued…)
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