Senior English major
At this university, sports are important for athletes and nonathletes alike. From tailgate parties to early morning lineups for seats, Terrapins sports fans go all-out to watch and support their teams. But these celebrations of school spirit are largely exclusive to men’s sports. Despite the success of many of this university’s women’s programs, students seem uninterested and unsupportive of these teams.
The men’s basketball team has not met expectations for the past several years, yet has students lined up for hours to get seats close to the court. The team failed to make the NCAA tournament the past three years and still has more hype surrounding it this year than in recent memory. I understand this university is a “basketball school,” but the men aren’t the only ones on the court in Comcast Center.
Women’s basketball has made the NCAA tournament every year since 2011 and has only missed the tournament once since 2004. The team enters this season ranked eighth in the nation. But nobody is camping out for front-row seats at its games.
Men’s soccer is known as one of the best programs in the nation. That trend continues this year, as the team recently claimed a share of the ACC regular-season title. Students pack the seats behind the nets to cheer for the team and help distract the opponents’ keeper.
Women’s soccer has also been consistently successful. Despite an uncharacteristically subpar season this year, the program is still considered among the best in the nation. But go to a women’s game, and the net seats are empty. No chants, no cheers, no giant flags. The program doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page.
The football team has drawn national attention in the past several years, but not because it went to national championship games or beat Alabama. The team is popular because it is flashy and shows future promise. Tailgate parties cover the campus on game day, and the student section of Byrd Stadium seems ready to fill up with each exciting matchup.
Field hockey has won five national championships since 2005. It is the second-most successful program in college field hockey history, yet few go to the games to support it. If the football team won five national championships in less than 10 years, there would be parties, parades and celebrations for days. But when was the last time you got invited to a field hockey victory party?
School spirit and appreciation of athletic talent should be gender-neutral, especially on such a diverse campus. Whether men or women, we are all Terps, and as such, we should all be supportive and excited when one of our teams does well or needs to be cheered on. If our women’s teams are this good without much student support, imagine how great they could be with a student section on their side.
Dave Stroh is a senior English major. He can be reached at dstrohdbk@gmail.com.
