Before football was played in State College, Pa., South Bend, Ind. or Ann Arbor, Mich., the game was played not too far from here. In fact, when the first two teams took the field to play what is now recognized as the first collegiate game of football, one of those teams had donned the Orange and Black. The team was Princeton and the year was 1869.
Now 137 years later, the Tiger football team stands at 5-0 and is primed to take on our rivals from a slightly lesser-known college in Cambridge, Mass. But this editorial is not about history, a history which has not seen our two teams play while both were undefeated since 1922. No, it is about imploring students to take time out of their busy schedules to go out this Saturday — and on future Saturdays — to cheer on their classmates.
Few, if any, student fans come out to root for games in which our 38 varsity sports teams compete. It is true, of course, that we have a smaller student body than many schools, many students' schedules are jam-packed and our teams rarely compete on any sort of national stage. But there are still many important reasons to support our student-athletes. They spend hours practicing every day and, oftentimes, much of their summers training. What is most inspiring, however, is that they do so not to compete for paychecks or for scholarship money but simply out of a love for their sports.
College athletics, however, is not just about those who compete. It offers something important to fans as well. Attending a sporting event is not an exclusive activity. It does not matter whether you are a senior or freshman or what your choice of beverage is on Saturday night. All those who come to Princeton sporting events are the same — they are Princetonians. Furthermore, it is a chance to display school spirit and to feel like a part of the greater Princeton community. In a world where far too many focus on where they are about to go, standing as one with alumni, community members and fellow students is a great way to take a moment and remember where you are now.
So make an effort to participate in campus life by coming out and watching our athletes compete. This weekend, take two hours out of your midterm studying, put on that orange hat your grandparents bought you when you got into Princeton and come cheer on your classmates. We'll see you there. Go Tigers!
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