FSU students should attend games to boost school spirit and enhance team performance
No amount of training, proper fuel and game preparation will outweigh the energy that a packed student section provides for a team. FSU’s disastrous football results, ambivalent basketball records and promising baseball season make one fact clear: players are much more motivated when their fans show up and show out for them.
A fan section swarming with garnet and gold-adorned FSU students represents passion for the team. Players feed off of this support and spirit, resulting in an increased desire to please the crowd and fulfill their own goals.
“I’ve been playing water polo since fifth grade and there’s never been a lot of spectators, yet at FSU, my classmates and friends support me,” Silvana Dioguardi, a sophomore on the FSU water polo team, said. “I feel another level of pride where there are FSU students cheering me on. It makes me appreciate my school and team more.”
There is scientific evidence backing this as well. A 2018 study conducted at the California Institute of Technology found that having an audience impacted the brain’s prefrontal cortex regions, which are tied to social cognition and reward. Additionally, these signals increased motion in the ventral striatum, the part of the brain responsible for action and motor skills, as per Johns Hopkins University.
This notion is illustrated by a concept called social facilitation. Social facilitation is a phenomenon that illustrates how an audience motivates players to perform better.
Audience participation is mutually beneficial for athletes and students. According to NFHS, attending games promotes belonging and collective identity. The dopamine emitted from a FSU night game (of any sport) while wearing a ridiculous amount of garnet and gold and hitting the Tomahawk Chop is irreplicable. Some of my fondest FSU memories crystallized in the student section.
A UChicago study found that watching sports impacts language understanding because of the neural networks related to comprehension. By invoking brain networks that are unrelated to linguistics, language understanding is polished.
Thankfully, fan support will face enhancement via the current Doak Campbell Stadium construction. According to Seminole Boosters, 91% of FSU donors and supporters favor the stadium’s upcoming renovations. This includes improved concourses, seating, aisles and lighting, along with requests for cleaner restrooms and more concession options. These renovations will enhance the audience's experience.
As with any large gathering, challenges exist in creating the ideal student section. Alongside these adjustments, the price of Doak premium seating will inflate by 2%. While this is beneficial for long-term enjoyment, the student section faces temporary suffering. With fewer student seats available, many college students who can't afford general admission tickets are left without options.
I personally have my own frustration with the student ticket lottery system. Despite joining the queue right on time, I never seem to get a ticket. I also feel adequate frustration with those who purchase student tickets just to price gouge or scam eager fans.
There are also instances where players perform exceptionally well without a massive student section backing them. The FSU men’s basketball game against Southern Methodist University on March 8 was coach Leonard Hamilton's final home game.
This game was inconveniently scheduled during spring break, therefore the student section appeared rather sparse. Nevertheless, players powered through and closed with a 76-69 Seminole victory.
Win or lose, I find that it is extremely important to support FSU athletes at their games. Audience support has an observable positive correlation to improved athletic performance. In return, your FSU experience can be enriched. The FSU war chant sounds far superior when thousands of voices harmonize, not just one.