Performance on field results in fans' disinterest

The past few years have not been very kind to some of the more visible sports programs at JMU.

The football team hasn't made the I-AA playoffs in five years and possesses an uncanny knack for blowing crucial plays and winnable games.

The eternal rebuilding of the men's basketball team continues this season, as coach Sherman Dillard's squad looks downright lost and unmotivated on the court, currently standing dead last in the Colonial Athletic Association standings.

This wave of mediocrity that has washed over these programs is still no excuse for the support, or lack thereof, displayed by the student body.

At most large colleges and universities throughout the country, football is a staple of campus life in the fall. These campuses are abuzz with anticipation and conversation as Saturday creeps closer, culminating with the excitement of game day.

In my year and a half at JMU, I cannot remember one instance of hearing other students talking to each other about the upcoming game Saturday, or reacting to one Monday. Never have I heard one comment about last night's exhilarating win or crushing defeat.

The lack of interest during the week, however, is no match for the scene observed on any Saturday afternoon at Zane Showker Field at Bridgeforth Stadium. Homecoming and Parent's Weekend aside, the turnouts at these games are embarrassing. I know getting up before noon on weekends is tough, but that is beyond the point. There were some games at which you could have fit the entire population of some small island nations in the student section of the stadium. Where is the school spirit that so many people on this campus fervently brag about?

Some have told me that they don't attend games because the team isn't good. The fact is, the attendance of fans can be influential in more ways than meet the eye.

Recruiting is a prime example, as JMU often invites touted recruiting prospects to games during the season to get a feel of the program. What message will be translated to these players if they enter the stadium and see that it is 75 percent empty?

Clearly no talented athlete with many options will want to play for a school whose game-day attendance suggests that nobody cares. If no new talent comes in, clearly no improvement will be made.

While attending the men's basketball game against Hofstra University last week, I made a disturbing observation. As I scanned the crowd and student section at the Convocation Center, I realized that there could not have been more than a couple hundred students at the game.

I understand that students have very hectic schedules and busy lives. However, for a Division I-A basketball program at a university boasting an enrollment of over 15,000,this was just hard to believe.

Granted, the basketball team likely would have difficulty competing with Eastern Mennonite University at this point (I hope the team can use that as motivation), but consider this.

Imagine you are a player, psyched up and poised to play a great game and storming out onto the court only to see a completely barren student section.

Being a student athlete in high school, I know that a home crowd can be a very intimidating and helpful sixth man. If you don't feel you have support from your fellow students, how motivated can we expect these players to be? How intimidated will opposing teams feel in an empty arena? Not very.

I am from New York, a place where sports is life. For good or for bad, we live and die with our teams. While I certainly didn't expect an atmosphere like that at JMU when I arrived last year, I did expect sports to be one of the hubs of campus life and excitement. It clearly is not the case.

This is not a plea for all of you to become sports fanatics who never miss a game. I simply wish more of us would support our athletes who pour their blood, sweat and tears into the efforts of their teams. I guarantee even the non-sports fans would enjoy the social scene of attending a game and supporting our school every once in a while. I also guarantee our athletes will notice the newfound support.

After all, the sixth man can make a big difference.

John Fierro is a sophomore majoring in financial economics.