Proud Broncos, with or without football

By Editorial

It has been well established that we don't have a football team here at Santa Clara, and despite the bitching and moaning, it doesn't look like we are going to be getting one anytime soon.

Instead of whining about how different our school would be if we had a football team to cheer for, let's rally together and make Santa Clara the most spirited and inclusive place that it can be, sans football team and all.

School spirit is more than just loud cheering and coordinated dances at sporting events. It is about school unity and making Santa Clara a place where all students feel welcome and proud to be a part of the community.

While it is important for the school to offer opportunities for students to get involved, the most important thing is for individual students to come together and make Santa Clara the school they want to be a part of.

And lately, that is exactly what students are doing.

From the formation of new immersion trips, to the pep band, to the upcoming homecoming week, students are taking the initiative and making Santa Clara a school that we can all be proud of long after we graduate.

Students are taking the steps necessary to create a campus that allows for everyone to be involved and truly fosters the spirit of unity.

Anyone who attended last week's heartbreaker against Gonzaga could feel the crowd come together as the Broncos came within three seconds of beating our long-time rival. From the players, to the pep band and the ruff riders, all students played a part in making the day what it was.

The tailgate prior to the game, hosted by the student-led pep band, allowed students to get pumped up for the contest.

At the game, watching senior guard Brody Angley leave it all on the court and have a career day in one of his final home games as a Bronco was nothing short of inspirational.

And the loud cheers and high energy coming from the crowd were more than just excitement about a basketball game; they were statements of how proud we are of this school and this community.

We don't need a football team to get excited about sports. We are incredibly lucky to have some fantastic men's and women's teams that deserve our support.

Associated Students President Austin Woody, along with the rest of AS, has also headed up the reinstatement of a homecoming week set for February 19-23. Yes, an actual homecoming week, even without a homecoming football game.

It is the coming together of different student groups for the production of this event that will help to ensure its success.

And building unity on campus hasn't stopped with student government and athletes. Others are stepping up, as well.

This year, students have taken it upon themselves to create two new immersion programs to El Salvador that target specific areas of study, one for students studying the arts, and the other for business students. As immersion programs are a central component of a Santa Clara education, these students' initiative should be applauded.

So keep writing letters to University President Paul Locatelli, S.J., about bringing back the football team if it really makes you happy.

But at the same time, let's take a moment to recognize everything that students are doing to create a more spirited, unified and inclusive environment for all of us.

With or without football, you make us proud to be Broncos.