By Andrew Ayala
Sports stadiums are known for being some of the most memorable, loudest and most energetic settings which is why that love and passion for a pastime should start at the junior college level.
After attending my first East Los Angeles College football game, I realized that there weren’t as many people as I thought there would be.
A small crowd with a lot of heart were on the sidelines doing their part in cheering the Huskies on.
At the end of the day, these teams are playing for more than themselves. They are playing for those people who sacrifice their time to watch the games and support the team.
Home-field advantage is one term that explains why the away team should feel intimidated when going to another team’s house.
There are plenty of outside factors that affect how loud and noisy the stadium, court or field gets, but it all starts with the crowd.
Usually people feed off of the energy around them, so hearing praise during these good moments can really help shift the momentum and up the morale of the team.
“Easier tasks, you do better when you have the crowd behind you.If the task is harder, it’s actually the opposite effect,” said Bryant Horowitz, assistant professor of psychology at ELAC.
“In your own stadium, having the crowd cheering at the right times for you can actually improve your performance, give your more confidence and if you are in a stadium where they are cheering while you are trying to concentrate, that makes it a lot harder.”
There are plenty of games throughout the week that students can watch if they have nothing to do between classes or are looking to kill time. For example, water polo has games every Wednesday and football has games every Saturday.
These are only a few of the many sports that students can watch and unwind with on their leisure time.
Elans should take advantage that these games and experiences are free to students, and provide a good way to get away from the stresses and burdens that come with a semester.
People gather outside of school to watch some of their favorite teams play, so why not sacrifice one night and go watch a friend perform?
It can even allow students to connect and see potential professionals before they take those next big steps.
“It’s important for students to have support because it makes you feel less effective when you look up and the stands are empty,” said Horowitz.
“When you have that crowd at your back not only does it give you momentum, but it shows that people are there that have your back.”
There are many players in the NCAA who started their journey at a JUCO program.
It would only be fair to prepare those who are planning to transfer to D1 universities for the sea of crowds and hybrid noises, which can get as high as 117 decibels.
This is equivalent to the sound of someone sandblasting or a loud rock concert. Many former students from ELAC went on to become success stories such as Jose Botello, a former LA Galaxy player, and even three former Oakland Raiders.
Clarence Davis was one of the three who went on to win a Superbowl in `77.
Sylvia Mosqueda is a former female ELAC runner who set community college national records that have lasted over 20 years.
A study named “Noise Exposure in Sports: Studying How Noise Affects Fans, Players, and Personnel in Stadiums” by Duke University in 2015 says “Sound does not just negatively affect players, however, it can also be the catalyst for increased performance… This positive association with a successful shot and the cheers of the home crowd leads to players feeding off of this energy, thus leading them to perform with more confidence and tenacity.”
For students who are frugal and don’t have as much money as others, they can come, enjoy a free game and use that money for whatever they want, instead of paying for an entrance fee somewhere else.
To many extremists, sports are almost like a religion which must be practiced throughout the week.
People even manage to set aside holy days in which all responsibilities go out the window once that clock starts and the game begins.
ELAC students don’t have to go to that extreme, but I’m sure all of the teams and athletics department would appreciate the student body if they supported the Huskies as much as they can.