LAST WEEK, on Sept. 8, the athletes of Lewis & Clark College gathered at Griswold Stadium for
the fourth annual Welcome Back Event. For the past four years, this event has helped all of the athletes of LC come together for one day to participate in activities and competitions.
Participants are split into groups made up of athletes from different teams, in an effort to get to know each other better. The event is supported by coaches and administrative staff, but it is mostly organized by a group of student athletes who make up the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). These students are in charge of organizing events around campus to bring the athletes of LC together. They do an amazing job of organizing this
event every year, as it is no easy feat.
As a member of the women’s basketball team here at LC, I notice how imperative it is that our athletes are a community. From seeing each other in
the weight room or on the field for 7 a.m. conditioning, to even just saying hello in the Bon, community matters. Going to a small liberal arts school where there are only about 2,200 undergraduate students, I have come to realize how much I appreciate support from other athletes. Unlike schools that have around 40,000 undergraduate students, it is unique and reassuring to feel as though we are all a part of a small community.
At the annual SAAC event, we were informed that this school year, there are about 775 athletes at LC. That means we make up about 35% of the student body. Additionally, 30% of all incoming first-years are athletes.
Having attended both a big public school and a small private high school, I can confidently say being an athlete at the smaller school was always more rewarding. I felt more seen and heard, and I felt the community of student athletes was so much stronger there. In college, I’ve noticed my professors are always interested in getting to know who I am not only as a student but as
an athlete as well. They always want to hear when our home games are and how our previous game went, even if we had to skip their class to head to the bus.
Attending a smaller school also allows for more athletic representation. Students show up to home football games on Saturdays ready to support the athletes not only as players but friends as well. I am more inclined to go to volleyball games or men’s basketball games because I have formed connections with the players and those connections make me feel more driven to support everyone. Feeling the support being reciprocated is incredible as well. Seeing familiar faces in the stands with posters adds to this sense of community.
If you are someone who is not an athlete but who loves watching sports, come out to our home games! Get your friends to come with you and bring that Pio spirit as often as you can. It takes more than the athletes to build a strong and supportive community, and we would love to see you there.
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