Whether you have been at Pepperdine for one semester or eight, there is something specific that each of us finds memorable. Maybe it’s a particular class or favorite professor. Maybe it’s your love/hate relationship with Wednesday morning convos. It might even be your deep loathing of the CCB stairs, but chances are it isn’t athletics. And that is a shame.
Despite our Division 1 status, we don’t have a football team, and we’re never going to. But there is no good reason why that should hinder (or completely kill) our athletic school spirit. Our women’s volleyball and soccer teams were phenomenal last fall. Our women’s basketball team recently swept San Francisco this season, and the men’s basketball team held their own in a nationally televised game against Brigham Young University on Saturday night. And we can’t forget the men’s water polo team that has sent multiple players to the Olympics, or the numerous professional-caliber golfers we have walking around campus. Hopefully you get the point — our sports teams are actually good.
The problem is, though, it doesn’t matter how good our sports teams are if there isn’t anyone to cheer for them. No one can argue that our basketball teams consistently have little to no support from fans in the stands. And that’s no fun for the athlete or the spectator.
Which is why this year’s introduction of “Wave Zone” is one of the best things to have ever happened to Pepperdine athletics. Wave Zone made its debut as a pregame launch party before the men’s basketball game against rival Loyola Marymount University that was shown on ESPNU on Jan. 12, and it was a breath of fresh air to see sports fanatics finally make their way out of the woodwork.
Wave Zone is expected to take place at all home games and is the perfect place for Pepperdine students to congregate before home events. For those of you who haven’t been down to Firestone Fieldhouse recently, a trip would be worth your while just to see the new display of NCAA titles at the gym’s west entrance. Thanks to new marketing directors in the athletics department, the east entrance (the one by the gym) has been designated specifically as a student entrance for all home games and students are encouraged to host their own events for their respective clubs preceding the game. It’s the ultimate tailgate party — Pepperdine style.
The rockin’ Justin Bieber tunes (amongst others of course) and free T-shirts for the first 500 students may have had something to do with the size and enthusiasm of the crowd. One could even go so far to say that Pepperdine students were actually excited to see the Waves take on the rival Lions. Whatever it was, it worked, and the stands were packed and people were cheering. Wave Zone may be the key for Pepperdine to finally experience the excitement of athletics frequently found at other D1 universities.
For years, the Pepperdine spirit has been nothing short of baffling. We all say we love it here but then choose to take our athletic loyalties and social events elsewhere. Why the disconnect? Any one of us could propose multiple hypotheses as to why — that’s not really the point. The point is, the Jan. 12 tailgate before the LMU game proved that we DO have school spirit; we’ve just never really wanted to show it.
The men’s basketball game against BYU this Saturday hosted a crowd that rivaled that of the LMU game. That’s two-for-two Pepperdine — way to go! Even though both games resulted in a loss for the Waves, they were both entertaining and proved to be a viable option for Friday and/or Saturday night plans. Here at Pepperdine, that’s nearly revolutionary.
Athletics are one of the most unifying parts of any society, from little leagues all the way up to the pros. While team loyalties might differ, the greater goal remains the same — to show team spirit and clinch a victory. For years, that concept has been alien to Pepperdine students. Fortunately, it looks like that is beginning to change. Fans have had a good time at the games. We will assume the athletes enjoyed having fan support. It’s the ultimate win-win situation and the way athletics are supposed to be.
So again; thank you, Wave Zone.
