Keep up that Lion spirit

Keep up that Lion spirit

Keep up that Lion spirit

Missouri Southern is not a traditional campus. We are a mix of students. Some commute. Some are traditional and some are not. One of the unfortunate side effects of this mixture is the sometimes lack of spirit on campus. Which is why The Chart was glad to see such a turnout for the 10th Annual U.S. Cellular Miner’s Bowl and Southern Stampede.

For the first time in we don’t know how long, Southern athletics were an all-day event. Campus Greeks were tailgating. Students painted their bodies and spelled out MOSO LIONS in the stands. Cheering – actual cheering – not polite applause, filled Fred G. Hughes Stadium. Fans waved towels and T-shirts.

The cross-country teams drew a good crowd, and fared well, at their all-morning meet.

Coming from a campus that’s empty by 1 p.m. most days and never gets out for anything unless there’s free food involved, that’s pretty good.

Even though Southern lost the football game, most of our fans stuck around until the end.

Now, with the cheers and boos and high fives still fresh in our minds, we can only hope that this wasn’t a one-time fluke.

Southern very well could be on its way to being a spirited campus. The Alumni Association, for one, is working with Greeks and other student groups to raise spirit and establish a traditional college experience here.

The CAB brought a spirit couch to the field and students are bringing back their cheering section. Acting President Terri Agee has been at events big and small since assuming the University helm. Faculty and staff wore jeans and green and gold last Friday.

We like this feeling.

It would be nice for everyone to shake the hands of our athletes when they walk across campus and recognize the faces and voices of the anchors on Southern Sports Sunday. Can we be that school?

After Saturday’s turnout, it’s a possibility.

This weekend, we have athletes playing both at home and away. Let’s get out there again.

Can all this last?

We hope so, because the atmosphere on Southern’s campus last Saturday was one we would like to feel more often.