Notre Dame has a national reputation for being a sports school. National magazines are plastered with images of Notre Dame students covered in gold or blue body paint proudly supporting their university with the letters N-D written across their chests.
However, far too often students only support the big time revenue sports such as football and basketball. Irish football and basketball games are continually sold out, while other entertaining sports struggle to get a packed house. This article is written to encourage students to support the less popular, but arguably more entertaining Irish sports.
While some Notre Dame fans might not want to admit it, the football team has been one of the most depressing university sports to watch. Over the last several years, the team has continually underperformed, including a forgettable 3-9 season in 2007, the worst in school history. Conversely, teams like the men’s and women’s soccer teams and the volleyball team have performed at the highest levels in their respected sports.
Last year, the women’s soccer team won the Big East and reached the Final Four before losing a hard fought game to the eventual NCAA national champions, North Carolina. This year, the team looks to avenge their loss to the Tar Heels, a team goal that is not improbable. This year, Notre Dame returns nine starters from last year’s squad. In addition, 51 of the 58 total goals scored last season were scored by returning players, so there is little doubt that the women’s offense will retain much of its firepower.
The women’s soccer team’s first game since classes have begun is on Tuesday, September 3 against Santa Clara. This will be followed by a match-up with the Red Raiders of Texas Tech two days later. Both games are part of the annual Inn at Saint Mary’s Soccer Classic.
Like their female counterparts, the men’s soccer team had a highly successful 2009 campaign. The team came within a couple of penalty kicks of winning the Big East Championship and earned another berth in the NCAA tournament. The team will look to build-off of last year’s success in the annual Mike Berticelli Memorial Tournament, which runs from September 10-12 and features games against Drake and Cal Poly.
The Fighting Irish volleyball team is another sport worthy of student support. The team dominated the Big East last year in route to a conference championship. While the team loses three players to graduation, they have added six new freshmen to this year’s squad. Furthermore, the team returns senior Kellie Sciacca who was named to the All-Big East team for her performance last season. The volleyball team plays their next six games on the road and returns to Notre Dame on September 17 to host the Blue Hens of Delaware.
Men’s and women’s soccer, as well as volleyball, are only three of a number of highly successful and entertaining sports teams here at Notre Dame. While football and basketball may have more notoriety, it is these “forgotten sports” that continue to place Notre Dame in competition for the Director’s Cup, an award given to the top athletic program in the nation. Students ought to recognize that football is not the only fall sport worth supporting.
Brent is a senior political science and theology major from Atlanta who dances to N’Sync while staring at himself in the mirror.
