35 Return of the Fans

Return of the Fans

By: Alex Mielcarz Staff Writer

Sports are inherently emotional. Players go through the entire spectrum of emotions in a single two-to-three-hour period during their match. Whether it be because of a big sack by a defensive lineman, a go-ahead three late in the game or a clutch goal to seal the match in overtime, players have plenty to fuel their emotions.

A huge part of those emotions is the crowd. They set the tempo for the day. If the crowd is dead, the team is dead. Occasionally, it’s on the crowd to get the team back into the game, and other times it’s on the team to get the crowd back into it. It’s all part of the beautiful push-pull, give-take relationship between the fans and their team. Basketball is a game that feeds off the energy of the crowd. Every steal, every bucket in transition and every corner three is amplified by the fans in attendance. That amplification was gone last year, and the Sullivan Center was left with a completely different vibe.

“It was very different,” sixth year senior, Forward Andriana Acosta, said. “[Every game] felt like it was a scrimmage against the other team.”

The players of the women’s basketball team took it upon themselves to recreate the momentum provided by fans that were traditionally in the stands.

Flashback to last year: the Pat Sullivan Rec Center’s bleachers sat empty (they didn’t even pull them out) during all volleyball and basketball games. Joliet Memorial Stadium started the outdoor seasons empty too but eventually opened back up towards the end of the modified spring season. Regardless, the Fighting Saints athletic teams had to do something they had never done before: play in front of empty grandstands.

Lewis Holey #13

“The players on our bench knew we had to take on a higher role,” Acosta said. “[We] had to be louder with the chants, louder with clapping and whenever we scored; we knew we had to be involved as much as possible.” Andriana Acosta #21

Return of the Fans

The players looked to each other to fire themselves up, but it just wasn’t the same as a live crowd.

“Fans are part of the game and it wasn’t ideal to play last season without [them],” Acosta said. “We all came together knowing that if we didn’t see our family or friends in the crowd that we had to take it upon ourselves to get each other hyped up and bring that same energy that we would’ve fed off from the spectators.”

After a year without being able to play in front of family and friends, the Sullivan Center reopened to the public on November 3 for a women’s basketball game against Indiana South Bend. The atmosphere did a total 180, and the fans were a big part of that.

“There’s no better feeling than being in a crowded gym and seeing your close family and friends,” Acosta said. “It was humbling to see. We were so thankful that they still came out after what COVID-19 brought us last season.”

Football needs the crowd just as bad as basketball. The crowd fuels the fire that is a football sideline. The interaction between players and the fans that occupy the seats of Joliet Memorial is extremely crucial to the way the game plays out.

Second year specialist, Brian Maday, noticed the difference in atmosphere almost immediately after taking the field week one against Marian.

“[Getting] to play a top team with a packed crowd was a great experience,” Maday said. “Having the crowd backing you really does help you bring that extra energy to every play.”

This season has been much different than last year in terms of the level of play from the Saints, and part of that success can be attributed to having fans back in the crowd. The brown and gold faithful have a much larger impact on the game than they think. “Last year was a little weird and took some time to get used to,” Maday said. “Having a crowd really does make a difference.”

The fans are just as excited to be back to cheer on our Fighting Saints.

“Being back in the stands for the first time since 2019 was an amazing experience,” USF student Maddie Brown said. “Last time I was in the stands was for [my] high school.”

Being back in the grandstands isn’t just about supporting the athletes; it’s about getting the college experience.

“Moments like these absolutely provide the holistic college experience of being with your friends, peers and their families supporting the team,” Brown said. “These memories make up the college experience.”