Image provided by Tess Fresco.
At a party recently, I heard a friend of mine, a non-athlete, say something along the lines of, “I don’t have any idea what goes on in Skidmore athletics.” When I asked her why she thought that was, she responded that she just didn’t care that much about sports. This refrain is common among many Skidmore students who do not participate in sports. Compared to other, larger schools, this is odd. Student spectator turnout at games is low, as it is at many liberal arts colleges, but why is this the case? Why don’t Skidmore students care about sports?
This problem is not exclusive to Skidmore, or even college in general – major league sports viewing nationally is on the decline. For many people, watching or attending sports is a low priority — if it’s a priority at all. Whether because of the tumultuous times we’re living in, or just the stress of classes and schoolwork, some of us just simply don’t have the mental bandwidth to focus on sports. This phenomenon is fair and understandable — easily explained by outside circumstances. But at Skidmore, it feels like it’s always been this way. This lack of spirit and ambivalence towards sports can leave student athletes feeling unsupported by their community, while non-athletes feel alienated and ignored by their athlete peers. Let’s look at why.
On campus, it is easy to see who is an athlete and who is not. Athletes sit with each other at lunch, go to the gym together, and many even study the same things. These things are also true of non-athletes, who often group together on one side of the dining hall. This social division might be leftover from COVID-era protocols, when entire teams were sequestered in a “bubble” together, and were often discouraged from spending time with students outside of their circle to avoid COVID infection. At the time, vaccines were non-existent and stakes were high — if COVID made the rounds through a team, they risked the cancellation of their entire season.
Psychologically, for current seniors and juniors, entering college during a global pandemic caused many of us to bond intensely with the few people we got to know as first-years. Logically, for many student athletes, those people were their teammates. In turn, for many non-athlete students, their first and earliest friends were also non-athletes who shared similar non-athletic interests. So it is no surprise that many student athletes’ closest friends are other athletes or their teammates, and non-athletes feel most comfortable with the friends they made in their own disciplines.
For other students, the disconnect from campus sports isn’t personal — it is simply a disconnect from sports in general. Skidmore, as a liberal arts institution, tends to attract students who are interested in the arts. I’ve found that many of these artistically-minded students don’t necessarily follow or keep up with major league or regional sports, a trend that followed them to Skidmore. But aren't college sports an important part of campus life and school pride?
For student athletes, college sports can be incredibly beneficial — not just physically, but mentally and socially. The sense of structure afforded by daily practices, lifts, scrimmages and games is something that many athletes benefit from. This structure promotes discipline and motivation. As a result, student-athletes tend to perform better academically than their non-athlete peers. While this type of structure and dedication to something can be found in other fields, and is prevalent in the lives of many dancers, artists, musicians, performers and others on this campus. The team atmosphere and organized in-season schedule gives athletes a step up when it comes to training and honing their craft.
Importantly, college sports also affect on-campus culture for non-athletes. On many college campuses around the country, specifically those who have Division One athletic programs or are members of the Big 10 conference, weekends and social life is centered around sports. In the United States, sports are a huge, sometimes even deciding factor in where many students decide to study. For those who enjoy sports, going to schools where they can watch their peers and classmates compete is incredibly exciting. For example, at the Ohio State University, each weekend revolved around the football games. Watching college players can also help fans both in and outside of the institution keep an eye on potential newcomers to their favorite sport.
For students not particularly interested in watching sports, athletics can still be a great way to get involved with the campus community. Many students on Skidmore’s campus and on campuses across the country have jobs in the athletic department, managing teams, working games, operating the sports center and gym facilities, and more. There are opportunities for everyone to become involved in athletics if they choose, besides just attending the events.
Sporting events, however, can also strengthen our connection to our school and athlete peers. These games become a sort of ritual for students – less about the sport, and more about the tradition. They become an activity that we all participate in together, coming together to support student athletes and enjoy a competitive game. Not only does this benefit the students, family and staff who attend these games, but it shows the athletes that they are being supported.
At a small school like Skidmore, attendance is appreciated by athletes, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. A Skidmore athlete noted that there is a correlation between success on the field and attitude in the stands. “We definitely notice it,” a Skidmore athlete said when asked if her team cares about audience turnout. “We love when people come to our games because it makes us feel supported and cared about, which definitely hypes us up. You can see the difference in the team morale and vibes and hype when there are more people at our games.” It is vital, then, that we as students show up for our friends and peers on the fields, courts and water, to show them that their contributions and dedication are appreciated, even at a small school. Not only does this benefit student athletes, but it helps to bring the Skidmore student body together to bond over something bigger than sports: school pride and community.