Although the Homecoming basketball games are old news, the energy and memories surrounding them are most definitely still existent in the minds of the basketball teams and their fans.
Those particular games had one of the largest turnouts Golden Gym or the basketball teams had seen in a while and the players, along with The Green Sea, have been hoping for another night like it ever since.
In order to make this happen, The Green Sea decided to take action and collaborated with the Associated Student Body on an event that would generate excitement, interest and involvement in the next home basketball against one of PLNU’s main rivals, Azusa Pacific University. AJ Borland, one of The Green Sea’s leaders, hoped this event could become a second homecoming of sorts.
“I am so used to the culture of the homecoming game being the only big game all season, but I feel like that culture is beginning to change and we are getting buy-in from the student body,” Borland said.
And buy in they did. Golden Gym was filled almost to capacity two Fridays ago as the men’s and women’s basketball teams went head-to-head against the APU Cougars. Not only did the crowd show up, but they also did their job in showing support for the teams.
“The school spirit is what I really like to see. By people showing up to games, they are saying they have our backs, which means a lot,” said junior point guard Marek Klassen. “During the game one of the players came up to me and was saying how much he loved our student section and asked if we give benefits or pay people to be at games. I was like, ‘No we just run that deep as a school.”
After the game, ASB quickly converted the gym, turned the lights down and turned the music up to get their semester kick-off dance started. Dances are still relatively new to PLNU’s event calendars, yet they are some of the most attended events on campus and seem to only be happening more and more frequently.
“The dance ended up being super successful in my opinion,” said Everett Lewis, ASB member and activities planner. “It was a little slow to get going, but over all I definitely think it was a fun way for everyone to reconnect and just enjoy their first weekend back together.”
ASB and The Green Sea are both busy planning upcoming activities scheduled for next month that will be similar to the event. A Great Gatsby themed dance is in the works for late February and The Green Sea’s is planning an 80’s themed event happening on Thursday, February 13th.
The Green Sea will be taking a bus to APU on Saturday, February 22nd to watch our men and women basketball teams face off once again against the Cougars.
