Cheerleaders, put the pompoms down.
Moms, turn off the camera flash.
And students, move on over to the section where fraternity and sorority members are chanting their Wildcats to victory.
Recently, Greek life has been spotted at different sporting events supporting student athletes and getting the crowd’s attention.
The Chico State men’s basketball team has made it to the playoffs this season, and some sororities have made sure to cheer on its success.
Junior Jenna Herana, who is an Alpha Phi member, shows her support at the men’s basketball games by making posters and wearing the men’s attire, she said. Attending games is important to her sorority.
“We try to attend as many games as possible,” Herana said. “We make sisterhoods out of the games because of how fun they are while bonding together.”
Alyssa Hansen is a cheerleader and is at every men’s basketball game.
Juggling two different extracurricular activities, Hansen sometimes has to choose to miss out on certain sorority events or cheer practices.
“When my sisters come out to the games, it’s fun to show them what I’ve been working on at practices when I can’t make my sorority events,” she said.
Hansen tries to make it to soccer and baseball games throughout the year to support Chico State without her cheer uniform, she said. Members of Alpha Phi also attend baseball games with her to show their support to other teams.
Members of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity go to events such as rugby, said senior William Valentine. They are also in the student section with the sororities at basketball games.
Cutout faces of basketball player Robert Duncan can be seen “smiling” through the crowd as the fraternities use his “face” for a mask.
“We go to games because we enjoy the sport,” Valentine said. “We support the school, and we’ve played these sports ourselves.”
Some Greek members are out playing in games, switching from wearing a Chico State uniform to representing their fraternity or sorority on campus.
First-year guard for men’s basketball Jalen McFerren is new on the court and is rushing Pi Kappa Alpha this semester. He appreciates everyone coming out to the games, he said, and how having his brothers there gives him motivation.
With school, basketball and pledging a fraternity, McFerren needs help to stay on track. Pi Kappa Alpha promotes time management, he said, and they are working to make him a full-pledge member, understanding his busy schedule.
“I cherish joining a frat,” McFerren said. “I have brothers on and off the court and build two different groups of people together to build a different environment.”
Breanna Barnard can be reached at [email protected] or @beeebarnyardd on Twitter.
