Football at Roanoke College is not a new idea. Football was, unfortunately, disbanded after a 42-0 loss to Catawba College in 1942. Nearly 75 years have passed since Roanoke had a football program, and it is my opinion that 75 years is long enough. It is time to bring football back to Roanoke, and here are eight reasons why.
1. School Spirit
Lets be honest. When was the last time you went to a game/match/meet? It has probably been a while, if at all. School spirit for both men’s and women’s sports could use some revitalization. Fortunately, the brand new Cregger Center will spur development in this area, but only to an extent. A great way to spread enthusiasm and excitement for our athletics program is to reintroduce to Roanoke the most popular sport in America.
2. Competition with Rivals
Washington & Lee, Hampden-Sydney, and other ODAC schools have successful football programs that generate revenue and bring many people together on crisp Saturday afternoons in the Fall. Competition fosters growth and progress, and that is exactly why Roanoke needs to remain competitive in ODAC athletics. We have a long history of winning ODAC championships and adding football will help us grow that list.
3. Salem Football Culture
Salemites eat, breathe, and live football and they support their hometown teams. Football at Roanoke College would be welcomed by an entire city, not to mention other folks in the Valley. Salem has long been a football town. Thirteen region championships and seven state championships have been earned since 1977 at Salem High School, as it is one of the best programs in the Commonwealth. In fact, Salem is home to classic Virginia football history. If you have seen “Remember the Titans”, then you remember (spoiler alert) how T.C. Williams beat Andrew Lewis in the final seconds to win the state championship. Well, the whole movie is based on a true story and that game happened for real in 1971 at Victory Stadium in Roanoke, before Andrew Lewis turned into Salem High School.
4. We Already Have The Facilities
In 1985, the City of Salem built a football stadium across from Elizabeth Campus in hopes of enticing Roanoke to re-develop our football program. We passed on the offer and ever since, the stadium has been owned by the city, but used for Salem High School, concerts, little league, and other large events. The facility is equipped with locker rooms, a press box, a beautiful turf field, and it seats over 7,000 fans. The Division III National Championship game, commonly referred to as the Stagg Bowl, has been held at Salem Stadium since 1993. Roanoke would have one of the best facilities for Division III football and with the re-introduction of Roanoke College Football, the city may be incentivized to make additions and improvements.
5. Tailgating
One of the greatest parts of going to a college football game is not always the game itself. Its tailgating. Salem Stadium has a massive parking lot shared by the civic center and Salem Memorial Ballpark and the entire facility is just across the street from EC. One of the best parts of the Fall Semester could be getting up early and tailgating with friends before a game.
6. Finally An End To The “Undefeated” Jokes
One of the corniest jokes of all time could finally be put to rest on this campus. From the admissions office to the bookstore, more and more people like bragging about our “undefeated” football team. Come on, people. I have only been here for two years and it is really getting old.
7. Opportunities for Students
Roanoke has always prided itself on experiential learning. From internships to hands on experience in a given field, students at Roanoke learn both in the classroom and in the real world. Students of sport management, athletic training, marketing, communications, and other academic areas will have an increased ability to become involved with our athletics department.
8. A New Era
With the Cregger Center inching closer and closer to its grand opening in August and with a brand new science center coming in the next couple years, Roanoke College is rising and growing before our eyes. With this in mind, it is past time for Roanoke to invest in a new era of the College. As the Roanoke Rising campaign says, “Roanoke has pushed to out-do itself. Just as it stretches its students to do the same. Why? Because the world needs more than business as usual. The world needs people and institutions who out-think, out-perform and out-do the expected.” If our College wants to out-do the expected, then we need to re-introduce and re-vitalize our long dead football program.
