The University of Oklahoma men’s basketball team possessed the best player in the country in 2009. Blake Griffin was an All American and the first overall draft pick in the NBA draft. Since his departure, the Sooners basketball program has been abysmal. Two losing seasons later, they are hoping to bound back and reflect the team they used to be – the team that reached the Elite Eight round of the NCAA tournament. New head coach Lon Kruger’s plan of rebuilding a team starts with generating excitement on campus to encourage ticket sales. Student participation is crucial to the atmosphere of a basketball game. All groups of students are important, but the Greek system, whose members are the heart of campus participation, may be the key.
Many fraternities are getting the opportunity to attend basketball practices.Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity attended the Sooners practice most recently - last week. The students had the privilege of taking a tour of the locker room and facilities, watching the entire practice and shooting hoops with the players afterward. “I love Coach Kruger’s idea of allowing students to go to practices,” said Carson Rock, a junior member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. “It was really cool to be able to see everything that goes on during practice, not to mention getting to shoot around with the players after. I’ve never gotten to do anything like that before.” Rock is one of the many fraternity students who have attended practice this semester.
Coach Kruger has done his best to get fans and students involved with the program since he arrived on campus in April. These open practices are a very personal way for students to get to know Kruger and the players, and they seem to be proving successful in generating buzz around campus with students, Greek and non-Greek alike. The hope around Norman is that the excitement of the study body leads to ticket sales, which can ultimately help lead to success on the basketball court once again.
No comments:
Post a Comment