Last Wednesday, for the first time since applying to this fine university two years ago, I was actually embarrassed to call myself a West Chester student. As if it wasn’t bad enough that the basketball team fell behind by 12 to the Cheyney Wolves in the first half of their showdown at Hollinger Field House, the fans let their team down from the moment of the opening tip off. For every 12 Cameron Crazyesque Cheyney backers, there was one purple and gold clad student sitting on his hands, while the Golden Rams did battle with the Wolves.
For a university such as this one that prides itself on athletic excellence at the Division II level, the fan support is nothing short of reprehensible. When this basketball team needed the support of their student section the most, during their biggest rivalry game, what the players received was a near deafening silence. Meanwhile on the Cheyney side of the court, the fans rarely sat, supported their team all night long and when appropriate hurled the traditional obscene chants towards the officials and their opponents. They nearly echoed.
The West Chester student section never had a response.
“It was pathetic. I was expecting craziness,” said first year student L.J. Harrell. The Cheyney game was his first at Hollinger. “I was embarrassed.”
Junior Chris McKant who has attended several games at Hollinger echoed Harrell’s sentiments. “I was stunned, shocked, embarrassed,” he said. “I felt ashamed to be a West Chester University student when Cheyney invaded our house.”
At one point early in the first half, a great spectacle was made amongst the Cheyney fans. One student actually painted himself blue, right there in the stands. Super Fan, a consummate Golden Ram backer, was the closest thing West Chester had to a response. He is not even a student.
You would expect that a team drawing such a sparse crowd, and such little passion, to be perennial bottom dwellers in conference standings. That is not the case here. West Chester is coming off a playoff appearance in 2005, hosting the PSAC Final Four for the first time in school history. They enter tonight’s game at Bloomsburg third place in the division.
There is no easy solution to this problem, but Harrell and some friends are seeking to set a new trend that just might transform this university’s sporting culture. This group of West Chester University students is forming what they call the “Hollinger Hoodlums” beginning Wednesday night against Millersville.
They are inviting any and all West Chester University students and fans to join them in the corner of Hollinger Field House, directly across from West Chester’s bench. Purple and gold attire are required, while air horns, whistles and noisemakers optional.
“Our goal is for the Hollinger Hoodlums to spark the fuel and the fire that is hidden inside every student at West Chester” said McKant. “If you’re a fan of West Chester University, you are a fan of West Chester athletics, whether it is football or basketball.”
What turned out to be perhaps the most troubling moment in the Cheyney game, occurred with just under two minutes remaining. The Cheyney fans in unison chanted “why are you so quiet?” in the direction of the Golden Rams fans, after West Chester had clawed back to bring the deficit to one point twice in the final five minutes of play.
That is a sound McKant never wants to hear coming from the opposite side of the court ever again. “I truly hope that WCU students come out and support athletics, because supporting athletics shows that students have pride in West Chester and have a sense of school spirit.”
As the Under Armour ad campaign states; “We Must Protect This House!” Such is the challenge to the Hollinger Hoodlums and groups like it.
Matt Lombardo hosts a weekly sports talk radio show on Saturday’s from noon-2PM on 91.7 WCUR online at www.wcur.fm