I was never a major sports fan growing up. I never spent hours glued to the TV watching football all Sunday, unlike my brother. I never went to a professional sports game until I got to high school.
Once I started running, some interest in professional track sprouted. But the 2020 Tokyo Olympics’s record-breaking feats fueled this fleeting interest into something all-consuming. I was amazed to see world records shattered by Karsten Warholm and Sydney McLaughlin in the 400 meter hurdles and it gripped me to see what else was possible.
When I wasn’t admiring these impressive track athletes, I spent my time exploring other Olympic sports, like swimming and gymnastics. While I still can’t say I understand all of the rules, the skills of all these athletes still draw me in as an ever-supporting fan.
I now consistently watch my favorite track athletes, making sure to always root for them during races. But beyond watching YouTube videos of races, I never really fell into a large trend of sports engagement. At least until I came to UF.
I still can’t say I’m the biggest sports fan. I didn’t even attend a single football game last year. But it’s hard to avoid for long with UF’s sports-focused atmosphere. Football consumes many students’ Saturdays. This year that includes me as I was pressured to get my (overpriced) season pass.
Now having attended a couple football games, I understand the school spirit everyone talks about. Each game the stadium is nearly filled with students, alumni and fans all screaming deafening cheers (or boos depending on how it’s going) for the Gators. It truly makes me wonder how the track meets are left close to silent.
For a school so well known for its school spirit, it’s definitely lacking for certain sports. My experience at Florida’s first home track meet of the season last year, the Pepsi Florida Relays, could not have been more different. While a football game and a track meet obviously won’t have completely the same atmosphere, you could feel the utter lack of school spirit at the meet.
My other runner friends and I were extremely excited walking into James G. Pressly Stadium to see the members of our team run. We were quickly met with parents filling the stands to see their children run, but the stands were largely lacking in students. As we searched, we quickly came to realize there isn’t even a student section.
At the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational, the second home meet of the season, many of those elite athletes from the 2020 Olympics that got me so engaged were actually in Gainesville competing. Some races were filled with gold medal Olympians and world record holders, such as Noah Lyles, Alison dos Santos and Kenny Bednarek. The stands were even more empty than the last meet. I got to see some of the fastest people in the world race for completely free, and it wasn’t hard to find an upfront seat.
What’s even more surprising is cross country and track and field could easily be considered UF’s most successful team from last year. The women’s team were SEC champions in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track, and also placed second at outdoor nationals. At this meet, Alida van Daalen was named the national champion in discus, with seven other top-ten finishes from the team. The men’s team also had an impressive showing with Vance Nilsson winning the 400 meter hurdles title along with three other top ten finishes.
Yet barely any students show up to their home meet.
School spirit shouldn’t only be shown on Saturdays in The Swamp. Why does the support disappear when the athletes, who could be argued even more successful, don’t come with a tailgate?
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Many impressive athletes are being overlooked by the student body. But it’s also important to consider that these impressive athletes are also a part of our student body. They spend their time attending class and studying, while also representing UF on a national level. They put in all their effort to compete at their best for our school — the least we could do is show them some more attention.
With some time spent at a meet, it can be found to be just as, if not more, engaging than other UF sports. Races are short and easy to follow, making investing in a race’s outcome a small ask. This lack of attendance diminishes the meaning of being a Gator fan. I didn’t even think I was a sports fan until I found something that made me care. The least you can do is give these athletes a chance. UF claims to be full of school spirit, but can that really be true if all sports aren’t receiving the same support?
Contact Kaitlyn Ocuto at kocuto@alligator.org. Follow her on X @KaitlynOcuto.
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Kaitlyn Ocuto
Kaitlyn Ocuto is a sophmore biomedical engineering major in her first semester at The Alligator. In her free time, she enjoys running, hanging out with friends and reading.