Involving the Common Student

It is my belief that Texas A&M's athletic department is one of the best when it comes to getting involved with students. Admittedly, I haven't exactly researched this, but I was blown away when I got here at the opportunities to mix right in with the athletic programs and student-athletes, which at least to my limited knowledge is unprecedented in Division 1 college athletics, especially at a "BCS" school.

Last football season, four students were chosen from the student body to travel with the football team to Arlington for the Southwest Classic against Arkansas. These four were able to get the full travel experience, save for actually playing in the game. The bus trip, the hotel, the walk-throughs, the sideline. Even the jerseys. And to my knowledge, the same program is set to take place again this year. The newest installment is allowing two student coaches to help on the sidelines for the annual Maroon and White Spring Game. Those interested were instructed to post a video response to Coach Sherman's video on YouTube explaining why they should be chosen. The first coach is picked by having the highest rating for their video, the second by a team vote. My own video submission is at the end of this post. Also this spring, the football team is supposed to host a bonanza after their last spring practice, with drawings for prizes (such as the Southwest Classic trip), food, football players and the such.

But by no means is football the only sport bringing average Aggies closer (although, being football and this being Texas it is able to do more). Under Mark Turgeon, men's basketball has taken enormous strides to give back to, and encourage, their student supporters. Turgeon announced at the beginning of the year that he and the team would join the students to "saw 'em off" whenever the student section reached 4000 students. The season before, the student section reached that level only once, against Missouri. This season, I believe that we accomplished that goal for nearly every Big XII game. The men's basketball team has also invited all supporters to join them (free of charge) at the annual basketball awards ceremony this Sunday, so as to thank them for their contributions to the basketball team's success this year. Turgeon, his staff, and the players would also visit students camped out before games, and even provided pizza a couple times.

These examples are just the biggest events that are used to involve the student body, so that doesn't include the numerous autograph and meet & greet sessions, Coach Gary Blair throwing candy to the crowd before women's basketball games, or "boot lines" before football games or after halftime at soccer games. The athletic department is smart to capitalize on arguably one of the best student sections (for any sport) in the nation. Again, I have no idea if anything similar to these are happening anywhere else, but I would be very interested to know. Enjoy the video.