By: Morgan Stolpa, CSU Public Relations Intern
Fans have an impact on the environment, atmosphere and energy of sporting events.
Student-athletes balance being a college student as well as being a collegiate athlete. In addition to their balancing act, student-athletes are pushed to extreme levels both mentally and physically during their practices and games. They are pushed hard to practice and compete because the bar is set high at their collegiate level and although their physical abilities cannot be changed by a cheering crowd, their mindset can be.
The size, volume and attitude of a crowd can positively or negatively impact the environment of the sporting event. If there’s an engaging, cheerful crowd it will build up the energy of the athletes. On the other hand, if there’s an uninterested, bored crowd the athletes energy won’t be as built up. As fans, theres an opportunity to set the bar for the overall energy of the athletes.
“I believe that The Herd impacts the overall game environment of sporting events for both the athletes and the supporters. Increasing attendance and engagement will make the competitions more fun for those competing and those in the stands. I believe that sports can have a huge impact on student’s college lives both among athletes and non-athletes,” said Isaiah Pitchford, Head of the Herd.
At Minnesota State University, Mankato, The Herd is a student-run group focused on increasing student pride, attendance and participation at Maverick sporting events. The Herd is open to all current students at Minnesota State Mankato.
“The goal is to increase attendance and game day engagement across all sports in order to improve the overall experiences across the athletic department and University,” said Pitchford.
In addition to creating more engagement and increasing attendance at sporting events, the Herd also provides an opportunity for students to get more involved. If you’re not an athlete but you enjoy sporting events you have the option to join this group and find more sports fanatics.
There are also internship positions associated with The Herd through the athletic department in Marketing and Operations available. Students can apply at: https://msumavericks.com/documents/2015/3/27//THE_HERD_Internship_15_16_Description.pdf?id=5516 .
For more information on The Herd follow their Instagram: @msu.theherd and Twitter: @MSU_TheHerd. For those who want to get more involved and have a more hands on role, contact Isaiah Pitchford at isaiah.pitchford@mnsu.edu.
