The Lions’ Pride

In recent decades, the Columbia Athletic Department has not been a strong force in student life. Rather than serving as a source of pride and spirit, Columbia’s athletic teams are commonly ignored or derided. Much of the student body’s apathy toward sports can be attributed to competition from New York’s cultural offerings that lure student attention away from campus and away from the court. Student interest is further diminished by a history of lackluster performance in football. Nonetheless, several Columbia programs have seen revivals in the last few seasons, and basketball is in the midst of a long-awaited turnaround. The Athletic Department should make these often-overlooked successes the centerpiece of an effort to interest students in Columbia sports on and off campus.

For a variety of reasons, Columbia has not drawn many to its athletic events. Attendance is sparse during football games at Baker Field Athletics Complex, which, though only a short train ride from campus, is much more distant in the minds of many students. Meanwhile, Columbia can boast considerable success in some of its smaller programs, including fencing, archery, and cross country running. Just last week, Columbia placed third nationally in the NCAA Fencing Championships, with one fencer winning gold at the event. Between the men’s and women’s teams, Columbia has had three NCAA titles in fencing over the last four years. The men’s tennis and women’s golf teams won Ivy championships last year, and Columbia also has four all-American archers and an all-American cross country runner. These achievements should inspire students to turn out in greater numbers, especially at competitions held on campus at Dodge Fitness Center. Strong turnout for Columbia men’s basketball in recent years testifies to the potential appeal of campus sports, if students can be motivated to follow them.

As such, the Athletic Department should highlight the achievements of teams that until now have attracted little attention. Students should be kept better apprised of upcoming games, and their attendance should be vigorously sought—an approach that has served basketball well. An award ceremony for all-American athletes and national champions, perhaps on the Low Steps, would increase the visibility of campus sports and accord Columbia’s best athletes a pride of place they have earned. Alongside cultural and social floor events, resident advisers can marshal students to attend games when their floormates are competing. And while there may never be a crowd of fans traveling to see archery or fencing tournaments, recognition of Columbia’s achievements can go a long way toward changing student perceptions of our athletics program.

Given that the University is continually seeking to unite students and foster community, it would behoove the administration to highlight athletic success stories. Doing so would help spur turnout and counter the lingering perception that Columbia athletics is a contradiction of terms. Columbia may never have the sports culture that exists elsewhere in the Ivy League, but its teams deserve more than a modicum of student support.