Davidson Sports...

<p>I know the school is thrilled with their basketball team, but what about other sports. Are the football games etc, well attended? Of course, the student population is small, but do they support sports? How about the greater Davidson community, do they ever come to see the various teams?</p>

<p>The Davidson community (and people from all around) come to see the games, especially the basketball games. Students are instructed before every game to not park in the Baker lot or the senior satellite lot because so many people come from off-campus to see the game that often there is not even enough overflow parking. </p>

<p>Homecoming was well attended, but more by alumni and townies (Davidson/Cornelius/Mooresville/Huntersville people) than by students. Most of the students who attend sporting events other than basketball are friends of the players, and the vast majority of random other students are freshmen. Homecoming, the opening game of the season, and the closing game of the season (also the senior game) all witnessed a pretty full stadium for football. I only went to two soccer games (one womens, one mens) and both were pretty full. That said, both were also at the start of the year. </p>

<p>Flickerball games are popular and lots of people come out for the freshmen championships (especially because this is over family weekend, typically in late-October). </p>

<p>Mens sports receive a lot more attention than Womens. Surprising? :P</p>

<p>Nice thing about the size is there's no Krzyzewskiville at Davidson. No need. No one camps out for tickets. Tickets to almost all sporting events are completely free (exceptions include most away games and those hosted at the Bob Cat Stadium in Charlotte, like the upcoming game against NC State), but for basketball games, sales often begin as early as 7:30 in the morning, and if you want the great seats, you have to go pick 'em up then.</p>

<p>Davidson fans are often polite and quiet, but they are nevertheless extremely spirited. If "Sweet Caroline" strikes up, the fifteen hundred students at the game, among other diehard fans, will continue singing the bridge and the chorus long after the song has stopped playing. Come to it, if it gets played at a party, all of the students (in whatever state of drunkenness they might find themselves) will be singing and dancing to it. </p>

<p>Good to know the lyrics before arriving...
"ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR! Sweet Caroline! OH, OH, OH! Good times never seemed so good! SO GOOD! SO GOOD! SO GOOD! I've been inclined...OH, OH, OH! To believe they never would....!" </p>

<p>Our Midnight Madness ("Night with the Cats") was sold out and packed. </p>

<p>:-) Hope I answered your question sufficiently!</p>

<p>Thank you amplifiar. I appreciate your detailed answer. I was greatly impressed by the attitude and excitement that Davidson students & alumni displayed during the NCAA tournament. It seemed different than some of the big school (of course our school has the best team) attitudes. It seemed more like a "I love my school win or lose" perspective. I just wondered if this was just a basketball thing or if it carried over to other sports and activities. </p>

<p>I believe sports provide a great way to display school spirit and don't understand schools that seem to mock athletic participation and attendance. I am disappointed that female sports do not seem to gather the same enthusiasm at Davidson (I know you did not say this, but I thought I was reading between the lines).</p>

<p>I think the same is true for plays and other performances. I believe they are to be appreciated and should be a part of the college experience. Perhaps I am getting carried away. I know Davidson students have a heavy workload and I guess each student needs to decide what activities "fit in" with this workload.</p>

<p>In any event it is nice to hear that alumni are well represented at football games. </p>

<p>Thanks again.</p>

<p>The attitude you've described certainly does carry over to other sports, in my opinion. Everyone really is just happy to be there -- doesn't matter the outcome, although winning would be nice. No one gets angry if we lose ... no one even stays sad. There will be after-parties, either way.</p>

<p>For a school so immersed in academia, Davidson should probably fall into that category (scorning athletics). But Davidson students see sports as part of life and never roll their eyes at other students. </p>

<p>Female sports are almost always that way, no matter where you go -- most of the fans in the crowd are parents, friends of the players, freshmen, and possibly faculty members. It's very sad, no question, but a reality. </p>

<p>Plays and performances are almost always sold out. For Dance Ensemble (one in the fall, one in the spring), if you don't have tickets at least several days in advance, you won't get it. This fall's main performance was Hamlet and all seven or eight nights were sold out -- I was dying for a ticket and they were totally gone after the first night.<br>
Davidson students also tend to be attracted to the more...intellectually stimulating shows. At what other small college would HAMLET have been sold out? Not exactly RENT or West Side Story... :P</p>

<p>Davidson students come to things to see their friends perform. The school is small enough that you'll probably have classes with the incredible basketball players. Frank (from Nigeria) and AJ live two doors down from some of my best friends. Steph Curry and I randomly run into each other all over the place, and always end up in a long conversation over nothing -- how much nicer the weather must be in Charleston than in Davidson (I'm from Charleston -- which the team loves, because they're praying SoCon finals will be there); how classes have been going; and so on.</p>