Opinion
UWRF winter athletic seasons begin as fall seasons begin to wrap up
October 31, 2013
It is a question not often thought of in college.
What season of sports do you look forward to more? Fall, winter or spring?
Let us ponder that a moment, and think about which questions you should ask yourself. Which sports do you enjoy more, and which sports does your school typically excel in?
Fall sports are typically thought to be football, soccer and volleyball.
The money-maker of the fall sports season is, without a doubt, football. Unfortunately for Falcons’ fans, their beloved football team plays in arguably the toughest Div. III football conference in America.
They get to play Div. I players who transferred to schools such as UW-Whitewater, whose former quarterback, Matt Blanchard, had a cup of coffee with the Chicago Bears. It’s a conference where as many as five teams can be ranked in the national top 25 at one point.
The results of these games can be viewed as uphill battles, as has been the case for the Falcons the last few years. They boast a roster full of talent and potential, and will surprise some teams within the next few years, but for now, while the games are highly attended, they have yet to win enough to push fall sports to the forefront of the “excitement list.”
Spring sports offer us a bit of a change from physicality to finesse. We are introduced to sports such as golf, track and field, and softball.
Some of the spring sports have been among the more dominant Falcon teams on campus the last few years. However, when spring comes around, students are more worried about summer vacation and getting through the last months of college than about going to watch the track and field meet or trying and figure out if the weather will allow the softball team to play at home.
Spring sports simply just do not have the pizzazz to draw students in, although they are extremely competitive.
Now for the winner: winter sports. Basketball and hockey are the clear victors. The Falcons have some of the most dedicated hockey fans in the Midwest. The games are always packed and full of energy and excitement. For the most part they are always competitive in their games, and hold their own against better opponents.
As for basketball, the women’s team played with a center who was a hair under 5-10 and who was the best rebounder in conference. They provided serious entertainment every time they play, and are quite often among the cream of the crop in conference play.
The men’s basketball team made back-to-back national tournaments, even hosting the latter. They boast one of the better coaches in conference and a flurry of devoted fans.
When you think about your favorite sports season you have a lot to consider, but not necessarily a lot of time to do so. So sit back and leave these things to people who have nothing better to do.
Brandon Jones is a senior journalism major minoring in political science. Sports means the world to him. The sound of a ball cracking against a bat, a ref blowing his whistle: It all means the same thing for him -- happiness. We all have our thing, his is sports.