What a magical season. It all started back a year ago with the announcement of the red turf project, and ended last night with EWU's first National Championship in anything since joining Division I in the mid 80's. I cannot express what this team, what these coaches, fans, boosters, students have done to make this the most memorable year in EWU athletics history.
I have been reflecting on this season since last night, and I need to express that I hope that the University, alumni, boosters, fans etc. will not use this as an opportunity to sit on it's laurels. That is to say, "see, we can win a National Championship at this level with one of the smallest athletics budgets in the Big Sky, marginal facilities and fan support." Screw that. We cannot be content with just this. This NC has to be used as a spring-board to further the program. Someone said that we don't have 1000 EAA members. Why not? People have eluded to the effect that we'll always be stuck with Roos Field the way it is, or at a minimum only be able to do very minor improvements. That we'll never draw decently on a consistent basis. BS I say! We need to take this opportunity to increase EAA membership, to get more season ticket holders (no doubt in my mind after this year) - to start capital campaign projects - look at what MSU did. Yeah, I know we don't have the loyal alumni base of a UM or MSU. But if we could even raise a quarter of what MSU did for stadium improvements, that would be huge for a venue as much in need of improvement as Roos is.
There is no better time than this year to plant the seed. It started with The Inferno. We can do more as an alumni base/boosters. Let's keep things realistic, but let's move forward.
I have been reflecting on this season since last night, and I need to express that I hope that the University, alumni, boosters, fans etc. will not use this as an opportunity to sit on it's laurels. That is to say, "see, we can win a National Championship at this level with one of the smallest athletics budgets in the Big Sky, marginal facilities and fan support." Screw that. We cannot be content with just this. This NC has to be used as a spring-board to further the program. Someone said that we don't have 1000 EAA members. Why not? People have eluded to the effect that we'll always be stuck with Roos Field the way it is, or at a minimum only be able to do very minor improvements. That we'll never draw decently on a consistent basis. BS I say! We need to take this opportunity to increase EAA membership, to get more season ticket holders (no doubt in my mind after this year) - to start capital campaign projects - look at what MSU did. Yeah, I know we don't have the loyal alumni base of a UM or MSU. But if we could even raise a quarter of what MSU did for stadium improvements, that would be huge for a venue as much in need of improvement as Roos is.
There is no better time than this year to plant the seed. It started with The Inferno. We can do more as an alumni base/boosters. Let's keep things realistic, but let's move forward.
