As I sit writing this, I have to admit that football is not at all what I expected as a topic for my column at any point during the year. I never in my life even watched a Super Bowl until my freshman year here at Seton Hill University (SHU); a good year to start considering in February 2006 the Steelers earned their “one for the thumb.” But, after the Griffin’s spectacular performance Saturday night against West Virginia State University (WVSU), I believe the SHU football team has more than earned a mention for the positive changes that the whole program has undergone this season.
In case anyone has been missing out, this year’s football team, in only its 4th year of existence, is currently undefeated with a 7-0 record. Saturday, October 11 the team pulled through with an intense last minute (literally) 35-28 victory against the Yellow Jackets, the only other team in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) that was ranked by both division II polls. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) division II poll had WSVU ranked 20 and SHU ranked 24 and D2football.com had WVSU at 19 and SHU at 23. After Saturday’s win the team now sits at the top of the conference. In case that is not impressive enough, defensive lineman Matthew Galadyk, a junior, was named the WVIAC defensive player of the week.
By Lorin Schumacher
Senior Staff Writer
As I sit writing this, I have to admit that football is not at all what I expected as a topic for my column at any point during the year. I never in my life even watched a Super Bowl until my freshman year here at Seton Hill University (SHU); a good year to start considering in February 2006 the Steelers earned their “one for the thumb.” But, after the Griffin’s spectacular performance Saturday night against West Virginia State University (WVSU), I believe the SHU football team has more than earned a mention for the positive changes that the whole program has undergone this season.
In case anyone has been missing out, this year’s football team, in only its 4th year of existence, is currently undefeated with a 7-0 record. Saturday, October 11 the team pulled through with an intense last minute (literally) 35-28 victory against the Yellow Jackets, the only other team in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) that was ranked by both division II polls. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) division II poll had WSVU ranked 20 and SHU ranked 24 and D2football.com had WVSU at 19 and SHU at 23. After Saturday’s win the team now sits at the top of the conference. In case that is not impressive enough, defensive lineman Matthew Galadyk, a junior, was named the WVIAC defensive player of the week.
With 7 wins under their belt, the SHU football team has now won more games this season than all previous years combined. The team’s losing record the past three years is understandable and rather expected as a new program, but no one can doubt that this year’s success is by far exceeding the Seton Hill community’s expectations. It is quickly becoming a source of pride for many Griffins, current and alumni, as well as for friends and families of the team. It is for this boost in pride that I believe the Griffin team deserves the most praise.
If there was one thing I had wished was different about SHU until this semester, it was the amount of school spirit displayed by the students. That would have been, for me, the only incentive to going to a larger school, such as Notre Dame (ND), where my grandfather played football in the 50s and where I wanted to go since I was about eight years old. I changed my mind about applying to ND my senior year in high school and haven’t regretted it since. But, when I hear my friends who went to other schools – places like ND, Purdue, Penn State, the University of Virginia, even the military academies, brag about their school and get excited just to be a part of it, I longed for SHU students to feel that way about Seton Hill. Yes, there have been those who could legitimately say that they bleed red and gold, but overall the lack of enthusiasm and attendance at sporting events, special events, and the like often severely depressed me.
But, that is beginning to change, and while I have no desire for us to obtain the mob mentality of fans at a lot of larger schools and their athletic events, I am excited about it. For the first time I constantly hear people asking those around them, “Hey are you going to the game?” I love walking down the hall and seeing someone sport a Red Out t-shirt that matches my own and five others besides. I scan the crowed at a game and see almost the entire men’s lacrosse team clumped together, screaming at the top of their lungs and waving huge cardboard signs. The number of students who attended the game this weekend, despite being on break, was astonishing. And we are so impressed with the team, both on the field and off, that head coach Joel Dolinski has moved up to 2nd in the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year poll. I have received numerous emails from faculty and staff to promote voting for Dolinski. Such support of the school and its own is so encouraging, and I hope it doesn’t end with the football season.
I hope the changes that Dolinksi has instilled in the players, the changes the players have made on the game and the way SHU views athletics altogether, and the changes that have taken place amongst the students and staff spreading Griffin pride are permanent. I think this school has benefited and could continue to benefit from this newfound SHU spirit. I hope that the football players will return the favor by attending and promoting attendance to other athletic events.
I hope that in light of such changes all the students have gained a swelling pride that urges them to support each other in all facets – attending and participating in guest lectures hosted by clubs, art shows, theatre performances, service projects, and anything else that shows the community not only that, “We Are Seton Hill” but that we are darn proud of it and we wouldn’t have it any other way.