With the debut of a new mascot and more and more teams becoming legitimate Division 1 contenders, Quinnipiac’s athletics program is changing its image for the better. It seems like the stage is set for a change in our fan support.
Just imagine seeing Quinnipiac’s gymnasium on a Saturday afternoon filled to the brim with gold shirt sporting, face painted, sign holding maniacs. Imagine being able to hear nothing but the sounds of proud and boisterous fans heckling the opposing team and cheering for their Bobcats.
It is this kind of frenzied fan support that captures the very essence of college sports. And it is the goal of a group of ambitious and fun loving juniors to create this kind of atmosphere at Quinnipiac.
The Crazy Bobcat Fan Club, or Crazy Cats for short, is a new student run club that will act as a cheering section for select Quinnipiac teams. This season will mark the first time a group like this has ever formally existed at Quinnipiac.
The Crazy Cats will not cheer for all sports, but rather focus their spirit on two.
“Men’s basketball and men’s hockey are our two biggest, best and most exciting programs,” said Jonathan Singer, vice president of the Crazy Cats. “So, naturally, this is also where we are going to devote most of our attention.”
Singer’s opinions of the basketball and hockey teams are not based on personal feelings. Last year the hockey teams made the MAAC tournament for the first time and made it all the way to the championship game. And the basketball team was one win away from being involved in one of the most watched sporting events in America: the NCAA tournament. It is safe to say that both of these teams will be legitimate contenders in their respective divisions.
The Crazy Cats will have their own section reserved at games and members will receive first priority for purchasing playoff tickets. The group will also provide transportation for members to all men’s hockey games, to the men’s basketball games at the University of Connecticut and Fairfield University and to all playoff games for both teams.
“We want to have loud, crazy, obnoxious fans, standing, not sitting, cheering for their team and giving our players a true home court advantage,” said Singer.
One of the main goals of the Crazy Cats is to gather fans that are willing to be loud and looking to have a good time and make sure they do it as efficiently as possible.
It would be difficult to find an athlete that does not want the increased fan support the Crazy Cats are attempting to organize.
“A crowd can really get their team pumped up and they can also frustrate the other team,” said Chad Pillsbury, a freshmen hockey player. “I think I speak for everyone on the hockey team when I say ‘the louder, the better.'”
The group hopes to develop some tradition for future fans to build on. Developing chants and cheers involving the whole crowd is one of the ideas the group hopes to put into play.
Activities like tailgating and parties or gatherings after the game are functions that the Crazy Cats would like to see more of outside of the arena. They are not just satisfied with promoting the in game environment. They would also like to see a positive change in campus life in general.
One of the traits that the Crazy Cats pride themselves on is the non-demanding nature of their club. The Crazy Cats do not expect their members to go to all of the games the fan club will attend.
“Go to the games that you want to, because they are fun and there are no obligations,” said Singer.
The Crazy Cats will promote their group at Thursday Night Madness on Nov. 14, where they will have a booth set up. The group will continue to promote with flyers and e-mails, and they will set up a table in Tator Hall on select dates.
Joining the group will cost $7, a cost that will help cover the transportation to various games. All members will receive a free T-shirt upon signing up that features the motto of the Crazy Cats, “Go crazy, or go home.”
By the end of this year, the Crazy Cats hope to have between 100 and 200 members and hope that the group clicks with the student body, turning it into a long lasting organization.
“This is not something I want to see die out after I graduate,” said Singer. “In the future, I would like to see the club going stronger than I ever had it.”