It is Time: Students Mandatory Read

[JimmyLemke]

While basketball is still fresh in our minds, we must get the preliminary meeting for the '06-'07 season under way. I know it seems early, but I believe it is imperative for us to get our first foot forward in improving the student section.

The first step in the process was growing the section. What was done in the first step was astounding. Any of you who don't believe that need only to see the student section of the '90's. The growing of the section to the size it is today is a crowning extracurricular achievement for those of you who used a basketball version of Miracle-Gro on the stands.

The next step is doing a complete overhaul of the student section. No more will we be confined to "U-W-M" and several forms of saying the word "defense." We will no longer be limited to swearing and cursing during downtime. For those of you who don't believe that Milwaukee can have the student section of Madison and Champagne, look at what George Mason is doing on the court right now.

What is needed is a collaboration with the band on souping up the section. Chants, movements, dances - oh yes - to get the juices flowing and get everyone motivated for the program. I don't want to hear from people that my head is in the clouds; if you think so, you're just giving up on the school. If you don't think it can be done because the possibility of a losing season is greater than normal next year, you need only know that the University of Wisconsin's great student section was built in the '70s; when the Badger athletic teams were downright terrible.

Which brings me to my next point. I know that a few members of the band lurk this board. The question I pose to them, is can this current director be the Brew City version of Mike Leckrone?

To those of you who were in the front of the section, how can we lead everyone next year?

And lastly, to everyone, what ideas can we come up with to make our section better?

This is an open forum, of course, so a great place to ask questions. What we need to do is start a meeting, somewhere on or around campus, where we can get a ton of people together and get the creative juices flowing, and begin building the Greatest Mid-Major Student Section.

[JimmyLemke]

Let's try and get the meeting together before basketball is over, or shortly thereafter. I think it would be a bad turnout if we waited until the fall semester.

[Deleted]

Jimmy,
I'm a proud alum and current grad student. First thing is get our own cheers. I know we have some but It kills me to see our student section using cheers from the UW football and basketball student sections.
Just my honest observation. We need to develop our own identity and get out of the shadow of our big brother to the west.

[JimmyLemke]

I'm not saying we need to be like them, I just think we need to be our own kind of original section, just like they grew into their own, we grow into ours.

[DunneDeal]

Jimmy...a meetig anytime, just let me know.

I do agree, we need to come up with something new. A New Chant or a chant with movement, something we could all do to be Milwaukee.


Fenske if you see this. You gave me an idea for some chants. Kinda forgot them over the haze that was Spring Break. Post Em Up!

[brettpanther17]

Jimmy... let me know when the meeting is as well... you are 100 percent correct on the fact that we need to be original in our cheers and movements... although i do agree with the band being involved i kinda shy away from it because every other schools band is involved with their section ie wisconsin... but let me know when and where the meeting is...

[Pantherholic]

it's ok if we copy UW to some extent (i.e. the band's involvement). chances are the things we'd come up w/ are already done by someone else or at least some variation of it. ideas are copied/stolen all the time in sports, it just happens. if the student section is moved next year, having the band's participation will definitely be helpful.

[milwsport]

I really liked the Ole cheer the students did during the HL championship game. Sure it's been done before (at socceer games ) but it doesn't take many people to make that one loud. Plus when you hear that cheer no matter what the sport, you know that the team is doing exceptional things.

There were even alumni joining in on that.

I still like the "Light It Up" thing too. On defense you could try something where part of the group says "Defense" and part says "Get the ball" or "Clamp em down" or "Lock em down" with some kind of hand motion.

I asked the cheerleading coach about how they pick the cheers. She said they're willing to do whatever people come up with but also they do the ones they do now because those are the ones that get a reaction.

You should definitely include the cheerleaders in your meetings and considerations.

[mwu]

band rep here:
scott corely is our director, and he won't be leaving anytime soon. i dont know if he'd be staying for 35 years but you never know. he and a couple other music majors are working on revamping the fight song and writing new tunes for next year, such as 25 or 6 to 4, rollout, etc... suggestions are welcomed.

we have a bunch of cheers that we try to get going but ultimatly die so i'd be down for a meeting. my favorite cheer this season was against oklahoma, "not quite texas" clap clap clap clap clap. let me know the specifics and i'll try to be there.

[schobes]

A meeting is a great idea, but then you need to find ways to spread to the other students. Some schools hand out fliers that have the team rosters on it and a little trivial info, but the main focus is to explain exactly what to do: during free throws, three pointers, for certain players.

I realilze that people want their own, unique section, but holic has a point that most things have been done before, so we'd probably be copying someone, somewhere. I think the key is involvement. Get the cheerleaders involved, get the band involved, and by all mean get the entire student section involved. Perhaps prior to Midnight Madness we need a pep rally going.

Perhaps we could have a "student fan club." Sure it's been done before, but these groups can be pretty successful. They've organized student section t-shirts, themes, and cheers/chants. These students hold a huge pep rally at the beginning of the season and teach people the cheers. Perhaps these fan club members could even have special privileges at games (ie getting in earlier so we don't have to wait on stupid middled aged women who don't know how to press a damn button on a scanner).

I happen to be a high school cheer coach, so if you ever want ideas (or have ideas we can use at our high school), just let me know!

[bball30]

We have a club here called the "Klotsche Krazies" majority on this board are aware of their existence, however I understand if not everyone does. Who ever decides to get the ball rolling on a meeting should contact JohnJay, he is a valuable resource. Also look into the funding that the organization could recieve from the university. (Goodhue can help with this) Lastly, when we started the Klotsche Krazies, we would sit in the lobby of the dorms and union until we got kicked out passing out flyers. All the pieces are there, hopefully this can keep growin!

GO PANTHERS!

[milwsport]

Try to get people's email addresses if you can. This would allow you to remind people of upcoming games and to let them in on special cheers (and the reasons for them) in advance of games.

[nohopspanther]

Mike Leckrone is not what you want, lol. We have a much better band because of that.

[JimmyLemke]

All right, the general consensus is that a meeting is a great idea, and one very soon will be great.

We need a time, most likely sometime next week, and we also need a place. I'd prefer it if the meeting takes place somewhere on or around campus, but I really don't see an alternative, so blah.

Do we want a night, a day, weekend, what?

How should we organize this meeting, and what should we go over?

[germanathens]

Why not invite Coach Jeter?

Four years ago several of us met with Bruce Pearl to get the student section created. He was a big help, and had plenty of good ideas.