COLUMN: Poor scheduling for first lacrosse games hindered attendance for deserving group of Chippewas
At the start of my second semester as a sports writer for Central Michigan Life, I gladly took the opportunity to cover the fastest growing women’s sport at the collegiate level — lacrosse.
In December 2012, Central Michigan announced the addition of women’s lacrosse along with women’s golf in an effort to provide equitable athletics participation for both men and women and remain compliant with Title IX.
I was more than excited to shine some light on this young, diverse group of student-athletes.
Lacrosse Head Coach, CMU alumna Sara Tisdale, traveled across the country and Canada to recruit 25 freshmen and one sophomore to the roster by January 2015 — a year before the team's inaugural season.
I was surprised by the scheduling of the first home games — the first two during spring break and the third scheduled on Easter. The majority of CMU students leave campus to go home or go on vacation.
Essentially, 26 underclassmen spent spring break and Easter in Mount Pleasant preparing for and playing the first lacrosse home games in the program's history. At the same time, a lot of their fellow students didn’t have them on their radar.
Tisdale and some players said they were happy with the fan turnout at the first two home games. Their families traveled from all over the country to watch them win against Delaware State and Virginia Commonwealth. The first three home games had attendances of 383, 414 and 133.
Even though they were thankful for the support they had from their parents and a few fellow athletes, the gaps in the stands would have been filled with students on any other weekend.
If the three home games they’ve played so far were conference games, I would understand CMU could be unable to move the dates. But all three were nonconference games. For all of them to be scheduled on such inconvenient days seemed a little unfair.
Lacrosse has the potential to excel as a varsity sport at CMU and in the community. But the early scheduling has diminished the excitement and momentum of the new team.
Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport at both the high school and collegiate level, according to the NCAA. Adding a lacrosse program is extra significant for CMU because it gives the name “Chippewa” a deeper meaning.
The sport was originally created by Native Americans. The team connected with Saginaw Chippewa Indian tribe during the summer and they have the colors of the tribe woven into the nets of their sticks.
The program has a chance to connect with the community on April 15, when the tribe will bless the field before the team plays at home on a Friday night against Jacksonville. It will be the first realistic opportunity for students to see the team play.
CMU opened an $8 million stadium in November 2015 to accommodate the soccer and lacrosse teams. Students should take advantage of the new facility we invested in.
Not only would it mean a lot to the team and probably the tribe, but the level of fan connectedness could set the tone for the program and its relevancy to student life in Mount Pleasant.
