3 Beyond the Game: How Varsity Sports at University of Washington Build Stronger Campus Community and School Spirit

Brian Park, Lindsay Kim, Chris Lin

Varsity sports can create a solid connection to the place of the sport by providing dedicated venues that become iconic symbols of school spirit and identity, such as Husky Stadium. These spaces serve as gathering points where students, faculty, staff, alums, and the community unite to support their teams. Attending games and participating in the collective experience strengthens the bond between individuals and their institutions. The success of varsity sports teams also elevates the reputation and perception of the college or university, further solidifying the connection to the place of sport. Overall, varsity sports contribute to a vibrant campus atmosphere and foster a sense of pride, culture, and belonging within the campus community.

“The overall experience strengthens my belief in sporting events that sports can boost personal confidence and foster togetherness as part of UW student.”

Varsity sports can unite students, alums, and fans to support their teams and build a sense of community and school spirit. UW’s varsity sports teams compete at the highest levels of collegiate athletics, providing a platform to showcase the university’s talent and achievements nationally. This can help elevate the university’s profile and reputation and attract top talent to UW. More importantly, Varsity sports can encourage physical fitness and healthy habits among students and the broader community. By promoting an active and healthy lifestyle, UW can help improve the well-being of its students and promote a culture of wellness on campus.

“No matter which way you look at it, it’s obvious that college athletics play a major role in society and elevate school pride among its faculty and students.”

The audience’s energy at the Sports Stadium (Husky Stadium) and the athletes’ efforts to secure a victory for the college students or the Huskies can instill a sense of confidence and pride in individuals, thereby increasing students’ as a whole in academic activities, with the University of Washington’s extensive athletic department for varsity sports providing support for these endeavors.

A more extensive athletic department at the university creates more athletic opportunities for non-athlete UW students, such as club sports, to participate in as a community. Additionally, having a sports system and location provides students with more opportunities to form supportive connections with professors, alums, and fellow students. Ultimately, it is delightful that sports give college students more opportunities to amuse their peers.

“In a thick organization, selfishness and selflessness marry. But, it fulfills your purpose to help others have a good day.”

The image depicting attending the Washington Huskies vs. California Golden Bears football game at Husky Stadium exemplifies the University of Washington’s robust athletic department and the role of varsity sports in fostering school spirit at the University of Washington. This department provides numerous athletic opportunities for UW students who are not athletes, enabling the community through a sports system that encourages participation. The location of the stadium affords students more opportunities to form supportive relationships. It emphasizes the importance of athletics in higher education, particularly at a prestigious institution like the University of Washington. Various factors, including the competitiveness of the opposing teams from different states, influence students’ attendance at football games. This generates greater awareness of passion and interest in college sports among peers, parents, and instructors, where thick organization selfishness and selflessness marry.

“Sports are vital in college, particularly at the giant school like the University of Washington. For example, you can determine the number of students attending football games, ingrained in the culture.”

After discussing my interview topics with a junior UW Gymnast athlete, I’ve concluded that college varsity sports serve the thick institution and its students instead of individuals from different support groups. Students- including non-athletes- can develop effective interpersonal relationships by discussing their passions and interests in sports with peers and instructors. To be precise, athletes may find it particularly challenging during competition seasons, for example, to manage all of the demands on their time, while others may envy how they practice at 5 a.m. However, professors assist students with their needs, the medical staff, food, supplies, and access to facilities at the school. The gratitude of attending a big university and receiving assistance brings out the overall excitement for the college and community.

 

“College athletics, whether you’re an athlete or not, is one of the most important and exciting things that colleges and universities have to offer. College sports attract prospective students, bring money to the university and spark school pride, especially when a major athletic program is making a run toward a conference or national championship.”

The football team of UW is always one of the teams that can compete for the championship. Therefore, the football team can enhance the school spirit and bring more income from the games to the college.

“People are together, and become part of a same identity make a thick institution”

Everyone was standing up and giving their highest respect to the team in Husky Stadium. Moreover, they were expecting that the home team will give the victory and cheering up for the team. The atmosphere is energy and excitement to home team’s players, and the fans in the Husky Stadium create a loud and intimidating atmosphere to the opposing team, which may cause opposing team to make fear, then they might make mistakes. Audiences play a significant role in building community and school spirit, all of the audiences and fans have shared goal and identity that can contribute supports to home team.

 

“The new vision for the collegiate ideal in the twenty- first century is institutions, with clear purposes, that maximize human interactions, utilize active and experiential pedagogies, recognize individual difference, and set high expectations.”

The authors mentioned in this source collectively highlight the contemporary collegiate ideal, which emphasizes institutions that prioritize human interaction and collaborative pursuit of goals to enhance the collegiate experience. Varsity sports can exemplify this notion by fostering significant human interaction and facilitating the building a strong community. Attending games together, cheering in the stadium, and actively participating in the communal experience can generate a sense of culture and contribute to developing a robust campus community and school spirit.

“I’ve experienced that sense of buzz and excitement when walking to a football game, everyone wearing purple, feeling like a part of something exciting. Similarly, when a team does well and makes it to the NCAA tournament, it creates a sense of pride and community building.”

After conversing with my interviewee, a Professor at the University of Washington College of Education, I realized that varsity sports serve various purposes, including fostering community building. As athletes participate in games with their friends and peers, they strengthen social bonds. They also ride buses together and buy season tickets to watch their college sports teams, further strengthening their sense of community. However, varsity sports can also have some drawbacks, such as unintentionally creating a division between students and athletes. Certain sports, like rowing – the sport my interviewee mainly played – may not receive as much attention from the student body compared to more popular sports like basketball or football. My interviewee noted that the popularity of a sport can significantly influence its impact on the student community, both positively and negatively.

In conclusion, Varsity Sports at the University of Washington can foster social cohesion and community development both on and off campus. The Sports department provides enthusiasm, vitality, support, and passion, and the Washington Huskies team enhances community cohesion and school spirit. For instance, the culture of the Dawg Pack and the football team’s success can attract more students and funds to the university, benefiting the local economy and society. In addition, fans and the home team contribute to a common objective, and a sense of belonging can foster the development of institutional pride and a cohesive society. Thus, it is imperative to attend to all facets and seize the chance to appreciate each current moment of the collegiate ideal, a period that never returns.

References

Adviser. (2019, August 17). College Athletics play a major role in school pride. The Rocket.

Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://www.theonlinerocket.com/opinion/2016/11/17/college-athletics-play-a-major-role-in-school-pride-and-school-revenue/.

Brooks, D. (2017, April 18). How to leave a mark on people. The New York Times.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/18/opinion/how-to-leave-a-mark-on-people.html

Toma, J. & Kezar, A. (1999, May 27). Reconceptualizing the collegiate ideal. Jossey-Bass.

Media Attributions:

• Lindsay Kim, Chris Lin
• CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 (Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike)

Author: Lindsay Kim