Why don’t Aquinas students attend sporting events?

A typical men’s basketball game has more students playing in the game than in the stands.
Correct me if I am wrong, but there isn’t a real sense of pride of Aquinas sports. In the case of both mens and womens basketball, success is present, both teams winning in dominating fashion with impressive victories, yet even for a winning team there isn’t a core following.

Why doesn’t the general student body care?

Maybe it’s simply the small size of the student body as a whole. Obviously a college like Michigan State would have a larger student section at a basketball game purely because they have many more students.

But other small schools have devoted student sections.

There is something else, and this problem isn’t simply with the athletics. This lack of pride is throughout all of campus.

The lack of students at sporting events and the issue of students going home on weekends stems from the same problem.

There is a lack of tradition at Aquinas College.

Dictionary.com defines tradition as “The handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information etc., from generation to generation, especially from word of mouth or by practice.”
What could fit this definition for Aquinas College?

Well, for starters, there are a few traditions that have been formed like the Homecoming king and queen, the Christmas tree lighting at the Moose and Project Pride during orientation.

There is the winter dance and spring formal. There are a few legends on campus, mostly about haunted buildings.

There is also the beer tent.

But overall, there isn’t much tradition on campus.

In athletics, the lack of tradition is the most evident.

There is no marching band leading students to the field house or a lucky statue that has to be touched in order to ensure victory. There isn’t a crazy obsessed fan dressed in AQ gear whose happiness is dictated by a win or loss.

When students discuss sports on campus, it’s more prevalent to discuss the larger colleges and the national teams.

Stats and history about AQ sports just aren’t on the minds of the present student body.
Pride in your school, which forms from tradition, does take time.

There are people on campus who are attempting to make this change towards more tradition.
These people need to be recognized and most of all, supported, simply by your presence. This isn’t limited to athletic events, but a campus wide issue.

Viva Balog! is an excellent example of a new successful event on campus.

It achieved the ultimate goal for events, bringing staff, faculty and students together. More events, athletics or otherwise, should strive for this.

The beer tent does this as well.

If you want to leave a mark on this campus, the easiest way right now to be remembered is to initiate a tradition.

Strive to be connected to your school. Aquinas’ name will always be of importance to you. It will be with you with resumes, jobs and your overall creditability. Make Aquinas’ creditability increase by making it known from it’s traditions.

Twenty years from now, wouldn’t it be neat if people knew Aquinas because of the loyalty and devolution of it’s alums?
This place is special.

The beer tent is too.