What if someone said that there were more people on the away side of the bleachers at KSC home games than supporters from KSC?
No, students shouldn’t take the fault for that, but they definitely have the opportunity to turn that number around.
According to the Keene State College website, there are 17 sports played here including, but not limited to: basketball, softball, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, field hockey, swimming and diving, and track and field.
There are games weekly on and off campus, and attendance is free.
Students should not feel obligated to participate in these games.
They have homework, clubs, other things that are important to them. Most of the time the reason is academics which even an athlete would agree, comes first. But to all the students who say they aren’t going to games because they don’t understand the sport or they “have better things” to do, that’s understandable too. Students’ time is valuable, why try something that they’re not necessarily into? Because trying is learning.
Going to a game can be important because it can give someone an opportunity to learn. A student might not know anything about field hockey, then after going to a couple games, by just watching, they will start to understand the sport. Someone will not know if they are interested in something until they try it. It’s a great way to learn something new and relax while doing so. It can have many benefits for someone who chooses to participate in our school’s sports games. Appliedsportpscyh.org states, “Identification with local teams have been shown to be related to lower depression, lower loneliness and feelings of alienation, higher self esteem, higher energy levels and greater levels of trust in people, as well as greater satisfaction in social life.” If you are lonely and depressed…find a sports team to support!” Taking a break from the chaos of a student’s academic life can be great time to either de-stress, unwind, or get excited for the teams that are representing the school athletically; especially if that means getting to be outside in nice weather with friends.
Aside from the personal gain one gets going to sports games, think about the teammates themselves. For example, if a student in the theater department worked hard all semester to perform at a production in the Redfern, then no one showed up for them, how would that make them feel? It most likely wouldn’t be positive. Having fans, especially people who are personal to the athletes, can make a difference on an athlete’s mental state during their performance. Appliedsportpscyh.org wrote, “‘Athletes want to live up to a high paying contract, as well as fan expectations. It is the same with Olympians who strive to live up to expectations. Athletes may say they are immune to fans, but we know better. It is like an adolescent who says they don’t care what their parents think,’ said Daniel L. Wann, who heads the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) Special Interest Group on Fandom, and is an author of Sport Fans: The Psychology and Social Impact of Spectators.”
Students are shown praise for their academic achievements, just as students should be praised for their athletic ones. Taking the time to show pride for the school in anyway possible is a great way to get involved and give back to KSC.
Although KSC does not revolve around its athletics like a Division One school, it’s still a school team, and athletes act professionally like any other team would.
If students put their books down, stepped out of their comfort zone and got into the game it would benefit both the teams and the students themselves. Gear up and get your head in the game!
