Without being too critical, it is now on record that I think Bates has mediocre school-wide athletic spirit. It has been written in this paper before and is often a subject of conversation throughout Commons. Our collective support at athletic events is borderline pathetic, but we can fix that this week.
There have been moments of school spirit greatness – think Parents Weekend football games and NESCAC basketball games when Alumni Gymnasium is packed beyond its small capacity. Having a raucous but under-control crowd is what makes sporting events fun. I know we have that potential somewhere in our student body.
Despite our reputation as sub-par supporters, cheerers and especially hecklers, I am proposing an all-or-nothing situation where we can completely redeem ourselves. Yes, I am talking about the 2009 Division I NCAA Skiing Championships that start tomorrow with the giant slalom race at Sunday River. The nation’s best collegiate skiers gather in a different location every year, and we are fortunate to be the hosts of this year’s big show of collegiate skiing.
The only reasonable excuses for not attending are class, practices or personal issues. Being too tired does not count. Neither does the fact that you do not ski or like ski racing because, for a lot of fans that will be attending, it is almost more about having fun than it is about the ski racing. My friend who skis on the World Cup circuit continually mentions the absurd amount of fans at each race. Sometimes pushing six digits in numbers, the fans are there to party, experience the European winter culture and cheer for people from their native country that they could not pick out from a hole on the wall.
I would be willing to bet that a majority of the people in our school have never seen a live, elite-level ski race. Maybe a handful of the Outing Club members caught the alpine teams at Sunday River earlier this winter, but the number of people who have seen a high quality Nordic ski race is so small that it makes me cringe. So, do something different this week. Go outside your normal comfort zone and see what this sport is all about.
Many members of our very own alpine team had never seen a Nordic race until last Saturday at the Colby Winter Carnival. Faced with free time following the cancellation of their race, our teammates drove down from the alpine hill.
“I had never been to a race before, but it was one of the coolest things,” said sophomore Ben Manter. “It was really, really exciting to see what you guys do out there.”
Echoing Manter’s thoughts, senior alpine Co-Captain Emily Sampson realized that there is a lot more beyond the Lycra suits, sunglasses and countless hours of what alpine skiers deem miserable training.
“It was so much fun because we really saw what all the training is for,” said Sampson. “It still looks miserably painful, but from a spectator’s point of view, the mass start was incredibly exciting.”
If you have not seen the posters, announce e-mails and Facebook events, this is my last ditch effort to rally the troops and garner some support for seniors Sam Evans-Brown, Sylvan Ellefson and Liz Thompson along with sophomores Natalie Rupperstberger and Micaela Holland.
You have all seen Sylvan’s name throughout Bates’ athletics pamphlets, calendars and the school’s website. He became a first-time All-American following his incredible fourth-place finish at last year’s NCAA Championships in Bozeman, Montana; however, his athletic accolades extend beyond this one race. He has been a member of the All-East team for three of his four years and has piled up three carnival wins, three second places and too many top-10 finishes to count.
If you do not know him, I recommend you introduce yourself, because his million-dollar smile, Colorado drawl and larger-than-life personality will likely make your day.
But really, all sentimental stuff aside, if you have constantly wondered what Sylvan does to be the face of Bates Athletics, then I encourage you to set your alarm for 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning and drive 45 minutes to Rumford, ME to watch the final race of the 2009 Division I NCAA Skiing Championships – a 20k mass start for men and 15k mass start for women.
“Having friends and Bates faculty and students at these races is, on a smaller scale, like tailgating before March Madness,” said Ellefson. “This is the Division I National Skiing Championships; it doesn’t get any bigger than this for collegiate skiing.”
While Ellefson and I do not have the authority to condone any sort of behavior, having a large, loud and supportive crowd would bring a new level of enthusiasm to these races.
Prior to his departure on Sunday, my friend, teammate and roommate expressed his desire to see familiar faces at his final collegiate race.
“To have my collegiate skiing career end with Bates hosting NCAA Championships is the best way it could possibly end,” said Ellefson. “I want people at both races, but if they are going to choose one, the mass start is definitely better for the fans. I want people to come and get loud and wild and just have a great time.”
If you can get out of class on Wednesday or Friday, make the one-hour trek to Sunday River to see Thompson and Holland battle for All-American status with the country’s best skiers.
Unfortunately, the alpine races are on school days, but I know for a fact that most people have some time on Saturday to drive to Rumford and show their support. Just get in the car and drive. Make it a part of your day because I guarantee it will be more fun than eating six chicken patties in Commons. If it is not, I will buy you six McChicken sandwiches from McDonald’s Dollar Menu. Wear something crazy, bring your noisemakers and be ready to cheer loud because that is what happens.
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