My high school had a really good football team. We won CIF every single year I was there and because we knew we would win, the student section would go bananas for every home game. I fondly remember pounding hot dogs in the parking lot, harassing the opposing team from the stands, storming the field after every win and being a light shade of green all week (because my friends and I always bought regular paint instead of body paint to cover ourselves in).
Our school spirit and reckless enthusiasm during athletic events made high school awesome and I assumed that kind of passion and foolhardy behavior would transfer with me to UCSD. I was sadly mistaken. The pride this school puts in its athletic programs is abysmal, bordering on criminally pathetic. The Triton apathy towards sports is a black eye on the university and its student body, but I believe that will begin to change this year.
UC San Diego is not a powerhouse SEC school and we don't have a football team, but that is no excuse to not get absolutely wild over the sports programs we do have. If America could rally and get excited about soccer because of the World Cup, then this campus can get just as pumped for women's volleyball and baseball! Who says tailgates are only for football games? I challenge us to tailgate home water polo and basketball games!
Writing this call to action will not make the tailgating and school spirit happen, but I am not alone in this righteous crusade! I have been approached by a new campus organization named the Conch Club which, in its mission statement, will organize more tailgates, pre-games, and social events to promote UCSD athletics.
I have read over this valiant club's Constitution (known as the Conchstitution because using "conch" puns to ad nauseam is encouraged) and believe it is exactly what this campus and this student body NEEDS. For twenty bucks a quarter, a fired-up UCSD student gets a kickass UCSD spirit shirt, admission to sports pregames, chances to meet with our heroic athletes, an opportunity to become a campus leader and organizer, a group of friends who love this school almost as much as they love celebrating sports, and the fun tailgating experiences that the big state schools have.
From all the countless on-campus organizations to choose from, this is hands down the most laid-back and rewarding. Also, If you want to become a student leader, this is the club for you. If you want to be a social media director or treasurer or recruiter, this is the club for you. If you want to be a rowdy fan who loves eating grilled meat, rooting for your friends, and having lots of fun, this is the club for you!
Our school has been plagued with milquetoast fans and our athletes are going unappreciated. We are blowing opportunities celebrate our gorgeous weather, fun-loving students, and awesome campus.
Look for the Conch Club this fall, they won't be hard to find. You'll find members with a lot of school spirit, usually having fun.
Even if you decide against joining this club I still want to encourage everyone to attend more sports events on campus. No matter the sport and no matter who you go with, attending the games improves the school and is always a lot of fun!
