As we sit and reminisce on the past weekend’s events, let us also realize that the success of our current football team would not have been possible without the contributions of alumni throughout the nation and support from the student body. The football team has made great progress under head coach Henry Frazier III, but all that progress would be null and void without the active fan base that has participated in events like the annual State Fair Classic.
Now, instead of honing our blessings and noise on the football team alone, let’s get involved with every sport across campus so that Prairie View A&M University will be known as a school with not only first class scholars and first class athletes, but also first class support.
Over the past decades, many programs such as Duke and North Carolina A&T football have fielded horrendous teams. The only difference between those schools and other programs, like PVAMU, is that their fans stood with them throughout their struggles. NCA&T, an HBCU who plays in the all-black MEAC, held some of the largest crowds in the conference during their 27-game losing-streak.
Fortunately, throughout the scope of athletics here on campus, we have some wonderful programs to get out and support. The cross country and track teams have combined to win four total SWAC championships in the last four years, the soccer team just landed its largest recruiting class and knocked off North Texas earlier this season, our volleyball ladies have vied for the SWAC title in two of the last three years, the tennis teams have competed against the nation’s best, not to mention the recent success of the football team.
So alumni, and especially current students, should jump at the chance to push our athletics to the forefront. Although academics is first at this institution, as it should be, athletics is usually the outsiders’ first glimpse into a college or university. Panthers, let’s make the most of this moment and jump on the tremendous opportunity.