Sports Column: Get out and support your teams in the winter

Both volleyball and football moved to the second round of the playoffs this year. Fans packed into Cowboy Stadium to see the Panthers take on Coppell. But as soon as that winter air blew, the interest in sporting events loses its impact. Students have no trouble filling up the arena for volleyball games or the stands for a football game. Even though in the Fall, some of those nights can be chilly as well, but fans still make the effort to show. Sports like soccer, basketball and  swimming should also receive that same support, its only fair.

There are several obvious reasons for the lack of interest in the winter sports. One is the temperature drops over 30 degrees and makes it less appealing. A chilly metal bench in Old Panther stadium can’t really compare to the warm sofa in the house. Soccer might seem like a less appealing sport to some fans than football or volleyball. The game has two halves and players run the length of the field back and forth. Maybe this is more of a reason why people might not want to make the trip to Old Panther Stadium to watch the games. Although fans could make a point with the cold weather, soccer is still one of the school sports and these athletes are worthy of our cheers as well. After all this program has been to the playoffs every year since who knows when.

Basketball is another one I really do not understand. We have two great teams that make the playoffs year after year as well. Just because basketball starts at the holiday breaks is no reason to skip out on the teams. Not many people want to leave home during Thanksgiving or Winter break. I understand that. The team also travels out of state for a few games, and students can not tag along with them. But why not go out and support them when they are home. The only other sport active during the winter is swimming.  They might get a few fans every now and then during a meet, but what they really lack is publicity from the school. This sport just needs more coverage and attention to draw more fans.

Out of the three sports active in the winter, at least two lack support from the student body. If that changes these sports could be even more successful. Obviously a big reason why the volleyball or football team perform well is because of the dedicated and talented staff and players. These sports have that as well. But there is an extra player that  gives that boost during crucial moments. That extra player, or players, are the fans that go out and support the teams with cheers, applause, and motivation.

It might be a bit colder, but making the effort to leave home and support the teams during this season benefits everyone more than not. Increased support can lead to increased winning records, and who doesn’t want to go to a school where all of the sporting teams and athletes, like those who you use a bowstring, are successful.