The Rocket

Issue date: 11/9/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: MCT Campus Fans, like the supporters of the Florida Gators, are an important part of a team's confidence. Players and coaches alike say that one of the most difficult tasks a team can face is playing a home game when there is little or no fan support. [Click to enlarge]

Attention Slippery Rock students: This is your notice that our institution does, in fact, play competitive sports, and they sometimes venture outside the realm of playing our rival, IUP.

We do have teams outside of football and its one-game-a-week schedule, and in fact the team is doing really well. But by looking into the stands you might not know that athletics actually exist.

All of SRU's sports teams this fall, with the exception of field hockey, have excelled.

The support the teams have received, however, might suggest that all of them could be considered average at best.

Women's soccer qualified for the NCAA playoffs, football is having a great year, men's soccer fought, literally, until the last whistle blew, and volleyball has a shot at making the regional playoffs despite its lackluster PSAC record. Ask some of the students on campus about anything other than football and they might stare at you with puzzled looks.

Take, for example, the women's soccer team's PSAC playoff game against Edinboro last Friday.

The stands were not empty, but they were not full, either.

In fact, there might have been more Edinboro fans than Slippery Rock supporters, other then the members of the men's soccer team that came out to show their support.

Blame it on the fact that the game was on a Friday afternoon, when more than half the campus leaves with a cloud of smoke behind them, or blame it on publicity.

This was a game that should have received the exposure that football does, even down to those friendly e-mail reminders to come to the game and support the team. C'mon people, these girls leave their hearts out on the field every time they take the pitch.

You think we could drum up a little rowdiness at a home playoff game.

Even football is not immune to the empty stands. The undefeated California (Pa.) Vulcans boasting the best defense and a great offense rolled into town on a dreary, windy day and barely escaped with a victory.

If there were any need to hype up this game to get students there, nothing would have.

It is a good thing there were families in the stands, as the seats were filled with them, not the green wearing students that showed up for IUP.

As for when IUP rolls into town, there were and are plenty of people in the stands, although most of them were a bit drunk and hoping for a brawl of some sort.

Much to their surprise, they were treated to a great football game, which I for one, will remember for a long, long time.

Don't get me wrong: We cannot rival a Division I college athletic program, but our school is rich with tradition and a name that was once known throughout the county.

SRU should not be known for just a name, but for a rowdy and loud student section that supports all sports, not just football.

There are rumors that the infamous Rock Rowdies returned with a new mascot, but again those are just rumors.

Much like the rumors that there is school spirit.

Phil Swartzlander is a senior communication major and assistant sports editor for The Rocket.

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