A wave of Cavalier spirit.
Overwhelming competitiveness fills the air as passion ravages the opposing team on and off the playing venue.
The experience of a home game, with roaring fans and determined players, is one of the many perks of attending a college or university. School pride during a home game is a competitive edge for players. Home sporting events are one of the, if not the only environments where students can gather from all different backgrounds in one area, united for victory.
For Cabrini students, the lack of an engaging, spirited and social common area shines on the fact that home games are Cabrini’s social gathering spots for all students. However, the work that goes into a home game, here at Cabrini, can be invisible to those outside of Cabrini Athletics.
Though they may not shine in the spotlight on the court or get the applause that so often echos from stands on the turf, the small team of employees charged with logistics make Carbini’s sporting events possible.
School pride can only go as far as the logistics of preparation and setting up for a game day can take them. Coordinator of athletics student programming and assistant coach, Brittany Runyen, and assistant director of athletics, Laura Patton, shine a light on the tough preparation of game days at Cabrini.
College athletics is a huge business, especially in larger universities. Cabrini is not one of those larger schools with immense funding. A common fact that some students might not know is that at Cabrini, only a few staff members (two or three) prepare the games, and they must wear multiple hats to make a game day successful.
“There’s a lot more that goes into running a game than just showing up, pressing the start button and letting it go,” Patton said. “Leading up to for the week, we’re sending emails, we’re prepping the field, we’re doing maintenance.”
Runyen is an administrator and on-site supervisor for game days. In addition to sending out emails, Runyen must figure out and answer the practical questions before all games at Cabrini.
What time will the game start, and how much time will the team have to warm up on the field or court? What equipment is available, and what is the availability of trainers?
Popularly anticipated game days are impossible without preparation. Preparing for a game at Cabrini takes a lot of work to create that positive, competitive atmosphere home games have.
Game day at Cabrini is a whole different animal for staff working toward creating the best environment for players and fans. The athletics staff must have the venue set up, prepped and ready to go.
Runyen and Patton help oversee the production and overall flow of game days. While players focus on the game, they make sure everything runs smoothly.
“I’m the on-site supervisor. My job is to kind of just oversee the entire event and make sure that everything is running the way it should,” Runyen said. “I’m just kind of an extra set of hands that while the game’s running, I’m able to grab some things. I meet and greet all of our officials and our opposing teams,” Runyen said.
The Cabrini Athletics department is proud of the work they do. Runyen and Patton love their jobs and have incredible skills and talent to create a fun, positive and safe environment. Appreciation should go to all of the staff that works towards the preparation and management of game days.
“I guess my biggest thing is that I’m here to make sure everybody else succeeds. And I think I speak for all of my co-workers when I say that that’s what we’re all here to do,” Runyen said.
