While friends, education, parties and fun make up a large quantity of the college life, looming very large in the lives of the majority of college students are sports. Sports are the key ingredients for socializing on campuses composed of thousands of people from different backgrounds. Sports give the school and its students a face. Unfortunately, unless you are an athlete, you probably didn’t come to Sac State for the sports.

You might feel now that your life as a sports fan on the Capital Campus is going to leave you with a lot to be desired, but I’m here to tell you why your life as a sports fan at Sac State can match up to the life of a fan on any campus.

During the fall, your jaw will drop as you watch the perennial Big Sky Champion volleyball team spike its way to another NCAA tournament bid, and your Saturdays will feature raspy voices as you join the fans at Hornet Stadium to root for a Hornet football team upset by teams like Montana and Cal Poly. If this doesn’t strike your fancy, you can catch the Hornet women’s and men’s soccer teams slide tackling their way through the season.

In the winter, you can treat yourself to anything from our WAC champion gymnastics squad to high-flying basketball games. Basketball games at The Nest provide the best chance for students to join in unison and rattle the bleachers with their feet as an opposing player lines up to shoot a free throw.

The spring semester gives the sports fan the best chance for fun in the California sun. Highlighted by baseball and softball, this glorious time of the year also brings out track, tennis and rowing. Viewing baseball games atop Parking Structure I is unmatched, but soaking up the sun watching rowing at the Aquatic Center at Lake Natoma, or sitting in the bleachers of either Hornet Stadium for track or Shea Stadium for softball will surely fulfill your spectator needs.

Your sporting event itinerary should be filled for the next two semesters with great games and good, cheap fun. By simply presenting your One Card at the student entrance you get to enjoy Sac State home athletic events for free.

Whether you’re sitting atop the parking garage or catching some rays on the shores of Lake Natoma, your experience as a sports fan at Sac State will be as fulfilling as you choose to make it.

So grab the foam fingers and megaphones and prepare yourself for an exciting year of tears and cheers.

Josh Oates can be reached at [email protected]