School Spirit at Colgate?

<p>Hey there! Recent admit to Colgate and trying to decide between it and a number of very different schools... wondering about the school spirit and sports? Do students attend games? Do they cheer/tailgate/etc.? When, say, a home football game rolls around, what's the student reaction? Thanks!</p>

<p>They say a picture is worth a thousand words, right? Have you seen the recent colgate.edu photo which accompanies the article about Sir Richard Branson’s lecture last Friday in front of a packed Sanford Field House? It shows him alongside our mascot Raider and at least 50 dancers regaling the crowd proudly wearing a maroon and white football jersey with his name printed across the shoulders. Perfect.</p>

<p>So if you are looking for traditional and fun tailgating before football games, a large pep band with whom you can blow off steam at ice hockey, fun hollering at basketball, and the pleasure of being outdoors again for spring sunshine at lacrosse, come to Colgate. Yes, we do have cheerleaders for football and a storied tradition and reputation as “giant killers”. We are a Division 1 school- just look at our schedules- a world of difference from most other top LACs in terms of what sports mean to us, we have the highest NCAA graduation rate in the nation, and obviously know how to work and play hard. We are at the top in standings in our Patriot League in most sports we play (check out gocolgateraiders.com for the facts), and are ranked nationally in men’s ice hockey (the ECAC) and lacrosse (PL) this year. </p>

<p>I am an alumnus and have viewed Colgate sports- and that includes the club variety with men’s rugby No 1 in the northeast in its division- as the welcoming “front porch” to the university. Lots of tailgates at home and away football games. For their part students attend events and do drift in and out while alumni, faculty and staff seem to stay put for the duration. But we all have a great time. Our disciplined and hardworking student-athletes very much appreciate it. </p>

<p>Go 'gate!</p>

<p>check this out … [Colgate</a> University Flash Mob - YouTube](<a href=“Colgate University Flash Mob - YouTube”>Colgate University Flash Mob - YouTube) … and I believe (I’m not a Colgate guy) the man in the suit who joins is the President of the University</p>

<p>As far as school spirit goes at sporting events, you will find that the attendance can be very spotty. During championship or playoff games, students will show up to games and cheer. However, during regular season games, most of the sports are not very well attended by students. As far as football games in particular, there will be a number of fans at the beginning, but the numbers can decline as the game continues, even if the game is competitive. I enjoyed rooting for Colgate sports while I was there (just a couple years ago), but if you are looking for a large, enthusiastic fan base, look elsewhere.</p>

<p>Since my student job is in athletic broadcasting, I can say that I have seen more than my share of Colgate athletics. We had pretty exciting seasons in LAX, hockey, volleyball, and soccer. Tailgating is almost exclusively for alumni and parents. </p>

<p>Students attendance is indeed spotty. For instance, we have a program that deals out points for game attendance. Not every game has a point value but usually there are one or two a week. At the end of the season, raffles are done for different tiers of accrued points. The highest tier needed at least 10 games worth of points and about 30 people fulfilled the requirements. The games that do have great attendance are usually promoted a lot, post-season, or against Cornell U. There are also close groups of super-fan students that seem to show up at many games.</p>

<p>More about school spirit… I refer to today’s news release at gocolgateraiders.com about Colgate class of 2013 Peter Baum:</p>

<p>"Colgate men’s lacrosse junior Peter Baum added to his list of major awards this season with the prestigious 2012 Tewaaraton Award as the nation’s top men’s lacrosse player this season.</p>

<p>“What an unbelievable experience,” Baum stated after winning the award. “I am so proud to be part of the Colgate family, and could not be happier to win this award for my teammates, friends and Raider Nation.”</p>

<p>As you can see, Colgate athletics has achieved another milestone in terms of national recognition. Remember that Colgate is Division I, unlike most other top LACs, and has the highest graduation rate in the country.</p>

<p>Further, and for those who are familiar with Colgate standouts this academic year in football and men’s ice hockey, Colgate’s recent graduates Nate Eachus and Austin Smith have received prestigious recognition in their respective sports as well.</p>

<p>Those of us alumni, student, parents and supporters who appreciate their accomplishments are proud indeed of Colgate’s varsity sports programs.</p>

<p>Go 'gate!</p>

<p>This year went to Colgate for a weekend hockey game vs Miami this year–barely any students/alums there. Went to a football game against Lehigh this same weekend–rainy and overtime–maybe 35 students there. Oh, and it was homecoming weekend.</p>

<p>Really?</p>

<p>I did not attend the non-league ice hockey game vs Miami so cannot comment on attendance. But I did attend the homecoming football game which was against Cornell, not Lehigh, and it was a well attended game with our win in overtime. The Lehigh game was on
Parent’s Weekend and I can only assume that the bad weather was a factor in students’ attendance. But the faithful-, alumni, faculty, staff and students- would always stay to the end for the result (see above). I did.</p>

<p>In any event, Colgate students apparently have lots of choices as to how they spend their free time. If you are interested in supporting your friends, or in my case current students including the progeny of fellow alumni, you will find Colgate varsity sports most enjoyable! </p>

<p>Go 'gate!</p>

<p>I stand corrected on who was playing who(m) on what dates.</p>

<p>I went to Oct 2010 parents weekend football game vs. Lehigh–no one there, cold and rainy.</p>

<p>I went to Oct 2011 homecoming weekend afternoon football game vs. Cornell–no one there, cold and rainy.</p>

<p>I went to Oct 2011 homecoming weekend evening hockey game vs. top 10 Miami of Ohio–no one there.</p>

<p>It was very disappointing to see the lack of fan support. Are students and alums just not interested in supporting their teams? Is there really that much other stuff to do on campus and in Hamilton? Or, are they “fair weather fans” turned off by bad weather?</p>

<p>Really?</p>

<p>What do you mean “no one there” and “35 students”? </p>

<p>I don’t agree. If you are expecting several thousand at a football game or ice hockey game but see considerably fewer instead, well, I can understand your confusion and from that where your questions about fair weather fans may be coming from.</p>

<p>In any event, there are lots of fans at these events and the official attendance figures (see the box scores within the 2011 game summaries) bear this out. There were over 3800 and over 4200 at the Cornell and Lehigh contests respectively. Among them are alumni and players’ parents who make the drive and book lodging to attend a game. They are not fair weather types, obviously. They are there for the game. Sure some people will leave early if and when the weather turns nasty. That’s up to them, right? </p>

<p>As I said, students come and go. That’s up to them as well. They have their academic responsibilities, after all, and alternative activities- as you can see on the colgate.edu daily calendar. </p>

<p>So where does this discussion leave us? Two years ago I attended in decent weather an away Cornell football games where there were a few hundred Colgate fans. There was probably a 4:1 ratio in Cornell’s favor. This university is roughly 4 times the size of Colgate and about 90 minutes away. But when Cornell was at Colgate last season and there was a slight drizzle there were fewer than 50 Cornell supporters. I don’t know how many were students. Any conclusions to be drawn? I don’t have any. Do you? For that matter what do you think about the football crowds at the other Patriot and Ivy league schools?</p>

<p>To move things along I propose to see you at a home Colgate football game. I will be at the October contests against Holy Cross (homecoming), Georgetown and Lafayette. We can do a count by demographic if you like and we can compare it to the official figures. OK?</p>

<p>While attendance at sports games is disappointing, I don’t think it’s the only measure of school spirit. Most students are very involved in extra-curriculars (clubs, radio/TV/newspaper, on-campus jobs, their own sports, etc.), which greatly contribute to campus life. I actually did a group project on school spirit/sports at Colgate for a Sociology class and we did find that not many people attended games, but that people were also very involved on campus in other things, and many said they were “too busy” to attend. I also think general cold weather and the hill are factors in game attendance. </p>

<p>When I was there, people generally seemed very happy with Colgate, and students often wore their Colgate shirts around campus. The school spirit is really clear after graduation - I’ve had other alums randomly approach me because of the Colgate sticker on my car or my Colgate t-shirt and start up a conversation. I was at reunion this weekend and the affection for Colgate was very clear. I don’t think it’s apathy or a dislike of Colgate - just that most students are really involved in their own activities.</p>

<p>Thanks for the offer, Murkham, but I have no interest in attending another Colgate football game. Pretty ho-hum affairs.</p>

<p>Lydia, I agree with you. There’s school spirit there, just not real interest in supporting the athletic teams. I’m glad your research bore this out. But, if the students don’t go to games on Sat afternoons, what are they doing? Bad weather and the hill seem like weak excuses. Are they studying? Kicking up their heels in Hamilton? The town seemed pretty dead during the day when I was there. Even the one coffee house in town and Colgate bookstore (a nice shop, by the way) were empty. Rather odd for what I thought would be a big alumni weekend.</p>

<p>The lack of alums at the 2011 homecoming weekend sporting events was also disturbing. Maybe it’s because the weather there is so bad and the school is in a remote location. I dunno.</p>

<p>What!? You won’t give Colgate another chance this fall and you’ve decided to become the “fair weather fan” you identified earlier!? And our football team expects to have a very good season. What a shame.</p>

<p>Anyway, if it’s better weather and bigger crowds that you’re after may I suggest you go up to the 'cuse? You can mix among their student and alumni fans in the Dome where conditions are constant. No rain! And when you’re done with your tailgate and sort everything for the following week you can read about us in the Syracuse Post Standard where we get the occasional mention in a DI AA kind of way. </p>

<p>Go 'gate!</p>

<p>It’s a legitimate question to ask, but please remember this is not a Big Ten football school or some imaginary college in the movies where everyone goes to the “big game” on Saturday. This is a 3000 student small college made of very bright, hard-working academically talented students who have (a) a good deal of school work to do, (b) many activities they’re involved in, including other sports, which make it unlikely they can go to lots of other sports, and (c) friends and a social life. </p>

<p>When I attended Colgate back in the Paleolithic Era (the late '60s, yes I’m really really old), school “spirit” in a somewhat old-fashioned era still focused a good deal on athletics, “big games” and that sort of thing. But even back then it was shifting toward much more interest in clubs, publications, the radio station, intramural sports, going off campus, semester abroad programs, and so on. </p>

<p>Today, decades later, the number of people available at Colgate or from the community of Hamilton who are even available to watch a soccer game, football game, or hockey is not very large, really. When Colgate played for the national D IAA football title some years ago, there were 1000s in the stands. And when Colgate won two tough games (in blizzards basically), the fans tore down the goal posts and carried them down Broad Street. There’s your 1950s college football moment, but it’s hardly likely to happen again.</p>

<p>On a normal weekend, a lot of students simply have no time to devote to a football or hockey game, Colgate’s biggest sports. Put another way, if every single student showed up (an impossibility) you’d have the stands “filled” with 3,000 people. Add some friends, some locals, and so on, and you might get 4,000 on a really good day. There’s no place in the world where a football game with that many people wouldn’t have an enormous number of empty seats. And at any given season, hundreds of students aren’t even on campus. They’re off on semester-abroad programs, for one thing. So, even 3,000 is overinflated. So even the numbers are small. Hundreds at a football game doesn’t seem so bad under those circumstances. </p>

<p>Hockey with fewer seats used to attract large crowds, sometimes still does, but a typical hockey game competes against a school play, parties, homework, and so on, and is hardly likely to turn out hundreds on a Friday or Saturday night. </p>

<p>Measuring “school spirit” by fan attendance is a little odd, frankly. It is not a model nearly any small liberal arts college follows anymore, in my experience. At a large state university, you’re more likely to find big deal sports and lots of fans. Colgate students are, frankly, a little more sophisticated – and a whole lot busier – than that. </p>

<p>A different kind of “school spirit” is very high at Colgate if you don’t define it as how many people ‘tailgate’ or cheer on a team. It’s high because people are generally happy to be there, proud of their involvement with Colgate, confident they are getting a first-rate education which rivals more famous Ivies and Ivy-like schools (better than them in some ways, I think, given the smaller classes and no teaching assistants and so forth). That kind of confidence and pride is the real school spirit, and I think you’ll find that having attended Colgate you will connect easily with other alums unlike many other college graduates I’ve known who are very blase and uninvolved about their alma maters which they treat as if they took a correspondence course to get their degree. </p>

<p>Point of fact: I work with people who graduated from Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Penn, UCLA, UVA, and a dozen other top schools. None of them talks about their alma mater much, if at all, they mostly don’t donate to them (so some tell me, a few proudly not donating), and they don’t make much effort to encourage young people to go there (I’m a high school teacher at a top private high school). Did they have a bad time at those schools? I imagine they had a fine time, and they may even like them very much. But I don’t think it was a very emotional attachment. Smaller colleges – and this is my personal view which I can’t prove – seem to me to create closer emotional attachments perhaps because out of fewer students, you matter more.</p>

<p>Finally (whew!) my daughter is a rising Senior, and she loves Colgate. This is a little surprising to me because I assumed I had romanticized my four years there and that she, an urbanite, might find it too rural, too small, and so on. She didn’t, and she misses her friends there and the beauty of the campus when she’s not there. She just got back from a semester in Paris and even there she missed Colgate, she says. Strange kid. She plays club rugby on days when there’s a football game, and when she’s done with the rugby game at noon or 1:00, it’s very unlikely she’s going to walk all the way over to the football stadium. And often–like many other students–her game is away. She’s not even on campus to go to a hockey game. Is that lack of spirit? Playing rugby for Colgate is her school spirit, not the fact that she’s not in the stands at football or hockey. </p>

<p>Colgate has an appeal that makes its students and its alums very close and very proud. Irrespective of small turnout at cold, rainy football games (not one of my favorite activities), there is so much going on at Colgate and so many good friends to make in a small college atmosphere that it’s hard to imagine anyone not feeling “spirit” about Colgate.</p>

<p>ColgateDad, your post is spot on. </p>

<p>Usually my Saturday afternoons were spent studying because of activities on Saturday evening. There’s also a lot of sleep to catch up on after a long and busy week!</p>

<p>I think that the lack of alums at homecoming is largely due to the distance. Even for those of us in NYC, it’s a good 4 hour (or more if there’s traffic) drive to Hamilton, and if the game is mid-day, you have to be up really early just to get there in time for kickoff. Then you either have to drive another 4 hours home after, or pay for a hotel for the night - and that’s IF you own a car, which many NYC alums likely don’t. It’s a bit of an ordeal just for one game that Colgate may or may not win… Homecoming isn’t also that big of a deal even for current students, at least compared to high school. There’s the bonfire, the tailgate and the game - I can’t really remember any other events…</p>

<p>School spirit is really obvious after graduation. There were something like 1,500 alums on campus for reunion last weekend - and over 300 of them from the class of 2007. That’s almost half out of something like 650 that graduated, and recent grads are probably less likely to be able to get time off work, own a car, afford a plane ticket, etc. to get there.</p>

<p>The thread began with a question about school spirit at football games and sporting events. I think this dialogue has proven that it’s abysmal. It was confirmed by what I saw on what were presumably supposed to be two big weeknds (2010 parents weekend) and (2011 homecoming weekend). The place was comotose, including at the sporting events. The tailgate scene was laughable (people were corralled in a small field and Barney Fife campus security roamed about. Very contrived, creepy, and dull.</p>

<p>Markum, sorry but i won’t give football up there another chance. If the alums and students won’t go (because it’s too far away, too far down the hill, they don’t have cars, they are sleeping at noon or studying) why would I?</p>

<p>Dad, I know it’s not the Big 10. And I certainly wasn’t expecting that. And I’m not casting aspersions on the overall spirit of the place. Sounds like it may be “spirited” in other ways. It was just a dead place when I was there on big weekends.</p>

<p>By the way, I think it’s wrong (and pedantic) to say that the people at Colgate are “a little more sophisticated and a whole lot busier that students at large universities.” Please don’t suggest that’s why they don’t go to games–or better than the plenty of fun-loving and smart students at state universities.</p>

<p>Oh my! “…contrived, creepy, dull”? And you are not casting aspersions?</p>

<p>Whether you choose to attend Colgate’s sports events is up to you. This alumnus and his friends do so because we support the players and coaches and because we enjoy the atmosphere. About football specifically, we tailgate in the Maroon Council parking lot and have done so for many years. In the event that you overlooked our hundred or so cars directly behind the Dunlap stands I could always point them out. But apparently you are not especially interested. Oh well.</p>

<p>Moving along, I hope that you find the entertainment you are seeking elsewhere. What about my suggestion about the 'cuse. Big school in a city with an airport and quick access to the thruway! You can wear lots of orange- where else can you do that?!- when you cheer yourself hoarse. Might be just the thing for you!</p>

<p>Tisk, tisk, let’s not get personal or nasty. Yours in spirit…</p>

<p>Colgate has pretty good sports programs, but on the whole, you will find more spirit at many more schools, especially for Division 1 sports. I attended a few events there. Went to a men’s soccer game that was pretty empty. Hockey was fun.</p>

<p>No one mentioned Colgate lacrosse but hey everyone loves a winning team! Even here in Maryland Colgate (and Lehigh) were on the radar.</p>