BU isn’t exactly known for its school spirit. Sure, it could definitely be worse, but we’re also not on the level of big state schools where football is a big part of the school culture. If I’m being honest though, I was kind of glad that BU didn’t have a football team when I decided to go here. While #BringBackBUFootball definitely has its supporters on campus, I’m here to make the argument that students at BU should focus on building a bigger following around our hockey team instead.
First of all, while we aren’t necessarily known for our school spirit, the BU student section for our men’s hockey team is a fun group and it’s a great atmosphere to watch a game in. Everyone is so welcoming and friendly, and we all have a blast cheering on the Terriers together. The student section (section 118 of Agganis) is led by the Dog Pound, a group of super-dedicated BU hockey fans who pass out Dirty Laundry Lists (a flyer with chants and roasts of the opposing team), make signs for all the players, and even toss candy into the crowd throughout the game.
The chants, however, are probably my favorite part. Mostly because after a long week of classes, it’s almost cathartic to get to go to a hockey game and just… yell. Also, though, because lots of the chants we do in the student section have been passed down by BU students through the years. It’s really cool to know that there’s a history behind our team and its fans that connects us to all of the alumni who have cheered on the Terriers in the past. Source: Morgan Clark
Going to the hockey games is also a great way to meet new people. As I mentioned, everyone in the student section is so friendly, and I’ve made a bunch of great friends by going to games. Pictured above, for example, are my wonderful Dog Pound friends Gwyneth and Julia, who have made BU hockey games even more fun because I’ve gotten to know them and spend time with them as we cheer on our team.
I would also recommend going because hockey is such a fun sport to watch. It’s very fast-paced and there’s a lot of skill involved in goal scoring, so watching your team net a really good goal is so satisfying. Plus, hockey fans are (on average) extremely superstitious. I personally can’t go to a game without wearing my “hockey socks” (pictured below). It’s fun to find your own silly superstition to uphold with your friends, even if it doesn’t actually help your team to win.
Source: Morgan Clark
Division I hockey fans also typically get 34 games to cheer on their team, while Division I college football teams only play 12 games a season. So that means there’s even more of the BU Terriers to love! Plus, in between periods they have youth hockey teams come out onto the ice and scrimmage and let me tell you, boy oh boy is it the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. The student section absolutely loves to cheer on the cute kiddos during the intermissions.
At select games (for this season, the last two are 12/7 and 2/15) you can actually skate for free on the Agganis Arena ice after the game! This is one of my favorite activities, and I always get super excited when free skate nights come around. My roommate and I had a blast at the last one (see the next picture for her looking super cool on the ice, bad pun intended), and even made some new friends after helping a girl to learn how to skate.
Source: Morgan Clark
The best part is that there’s no pressure to be good at skating. No matter what your skill level is, you can get out there and have fun, whether your version of fun is gliding around the ice gracefully, or hugging the wall and falling a lot but having a laugh while doing it.
With all these reasons to cheer on the BU hockey team, hopefully I’ll see you at our next home game at Agganis Arena, Friday, November 22 at 7:30pm against the University of Vermont!
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