As Hokies, we each fit in many circles that define our college experience.
Some of us are undergraduate researchers, others are involved in a multitude of activities, and still more content themselves with late nights at Deets preparing for the next morning's exam.
Yet, despite these varied interests, there is one aspect of our shared experience where we all come together: Hokie sports.
While we can all agree that football season leaves us with hoarse throats from yelling cheers and memories that will mark our college years, undoubtedly the rising success of our Hokie basketball program has made Cassell Coliseum a force to be reckoned with, as well.
In my role as SGA President, I have had the pleasure of speaking with many students about the athletic legacy we want to leave. From these conversations, one student in particular, Connor Forman, had a phenomenal insight.
"Brandon," Forman said. "We have the best fans in the nation for football. We could easily have the best atmosphere in the nation for basketball, too. There is just something missing."
Forman's observation left me wondering what that elusive "it" factor is. However, after spending hours contemplating a solution, I found myself no closer to an epiphany. Then it hit me - this is not a task for just one Hokie sports fan. If our student government is truly all about the students, why not ask all of you?
So I pose this question to you: What can we, as students, as the SGA, as athletes, and ultimately, as Hokies, do to create the best possible basketball environment here at Virginia Tech? We could make cheer cards to switch our chants when moving from offense to defense, or create an official student section called the Cassell Guard to support Hokies on Fire spirit initiatives or maybe we need to re-evaluate our student seating arrangement. But I know you have ideas too!
In an ACC comparison, Virginia Tech and Miami are the sole schools that have their student section behind one backboard. Quite possibly, all we need in Cassell is a seating adjustment, but this is not the only suggestion we can consider.
We can create the environment we envision if we use the creativity of the collective. It's us, the fans, who are the irreplaceable sixth man that the team needs and it's up to us to figure out what will make us the greatest asset possible.
This is our challenge. Let's make Cassell the loudest arena in the nation. Come by the SGA office (321 Squires), e-mail us at sga@vt.edu or call us at 540-2008-SGA and tell us what you would like to see changed at basketball games this year. Simply put, this is our fourth quarter countdown and we can win - all we have to do is beat the buzzer.
Brandon Carroll is the Student Government Association President at Virginia Tech.