The Sunday before Thanksgiving break, first-year student Ashley Beall and head men’s and women’s basketball coaches Mark Phelps and Jennie Baranczyk visited several Residence Hall Executive Councils to promote Drake University’s basketball programs.
“We pretty much just asked them for advice on how to get the word out because a lot of people don’t know that basketball games are going on,” Beall said.
Beall already has ties to Drake athletics. She helped bring a spirit table that gave away spirit gear during home football games. She is also a member of Drake’s rowing team.
“One of the things I’m doing with the coaches (is) trying to plan really cool events, trying to get students to go to games, like free spirit gear, stuff like that,” Beall said.
Baranczyk, who’s in her first year as a head coach, emphasized Bulldog pride more than simply getting students out to the games.
“More-so we talked a lot about the pride at Drake and how we need to really enhance that, and we also talked about the communication at Drake and how we can really help each other,” Baranczyk said.
With basketball season in its early days and finals on the horizon, many students have yet to attend a game. With a long winter break approaching, it is important that students try to come out to support the teams.
“It’s a platform for people to come together at Drake to come and wear their blue, to wear their Drake, to, you know, cheer for their peers,” Baranczyk said.
While attendance has been low so far, students like Michael Schwalen, a first-year actuarial science major, still plan on attending games later on in the season.
“I’m planning on going to a couple Drake basketball games and hoping there’ll be a good crowd atmosphere,” Schwalen said.
Some debate whether or not Drake puts enough emphasis on its athletics. Baranczyk thinks there is room for improvement.
“We can do better, and a lot of that is just we’ve got to start supporting each other more in every avenue here,” Baranczyk said.
First-year pharmacy major Josh Cochran believes Drake does promote its athletics enough. “They put a lot of emphasis on it. We get in for free and everything.”
The Drake men’s basketball team next plays St. Mary’s on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. at the Knapp Center. The women’s basketball team plays at North Dakota State on Thursday and do not return to the Knapp until Dec. 16 to play Iowa.
