New student section energizing Hoosiers

IU men’s basketball has the Crimson Guard, football has the Quarry and baseball has Tracy’s Terrace. But you can now add softball to the list of teams with organized student support.

Despite the lack of recent success — the Hoosiers have not had a winning season since 2006 — IU softball has slowly built a large contingent of students that get involved at each game in Bloomington.

“I have never seen anything like that,” junior pitcher Sara Olson said. “Our parents usually come to support us, but it’s nice to see our fellow classmates.”

In the middle of the fifth inning of each matchup, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is played, and a group of supportive students sway together as one to the music.

The group, which currently does not have an official name, was started by freshman Sami Schneider when she decided to bring her friends to a game.

“One day they had signs up in my dorm saying come out to the games, and I grabbed my friends and brought them out here,” Schneider said.

For the past 10 home games, a group of more than 10 students has showed its support to the Hoosiers.

Although the team has been 2-11 at home this season, these students have come through with a wide variety of home-field chants.

“We call all the umpires Jerry, and when there is a strikeout, we say ‘one, two, three got ‘em,’” Schneider said.

They feel as if they are the 10th man or woman, comparable to basketball’s “sixth man.”

Their presence was really shown during the Michigan State weekend home games April 10-11, when the group expanded to more than 20 students and all supporters wore home white T-shirts.

“It’s all support for us, whether they are chanting for us or heckling the other players,” Olson said.

The fans try to rally their Hoosiers whether waving their hands like a zombie or chanting, “We are IU.”

After one of the Michigan State games, the students came to get autographs from each of the players on their white T-shirts.

Schneider said creating a name is the next step for the group.  

“We made white T’s, but we haven’t quite come up with a name yet,” she said.
Olson said the rowdier the students are in the stands, the more pumped up the team gets.

“It definitely builds commotion, and sometimes that’s not a bad thing,” Olson said.
IU baseball started Tracy’s Terrace last year, which is located behind left field of Sembower Field and named after IU coach Tracy Smith. Its recent success has brought optimism that something similar could work with IU softball.

“We kind of vibe off the team,” Schneider said. “If they are excited, we are, and if they are down, we try to bring them up.”