On March 1, the Clark University Cougars faced th
e Smith Bears in the NEWMAC Championship in Smith’s own Ainsworth Gym in Northampton, MA.The game started sharply at 1:00 p.m. and given that it was the championship, it was imperative that I could not be late, and even better be early enough to secure favorable seats for such an important game. As it goes, although I arrived at Smith College with 20 minutes to spare, their unfamiliar campus posed a foolishly unforeseen roadblock. After parking much too far away from the gymnasium, I hopped out of my car and walked toward campus in the direction that I guessed might bring me to the correct building. After some time of wandering around, a convenient “Campus Safety” car pulled up beside me and offered me the coveted directions necessary to guide me toward the basketball game. A short few minutes later, I arrived at the front of the building, pulled out my tickets when prompted, and made my way up the three flights of stairs to the packed gymnasium. Due to my very on-time arrival, I knew I was getting close thanks to the cheers and screams of the fans who were brimming with anticipation for the game ahead.
As soon as I stepped onto the court, the scent of the freshly popped, buttery popcorn that they were selling in the first corner of the stadium hit my nose. A greeter asked which team I was rooting for, so she could direct me to the correct area of the stadium where I would find like-minded Clarkies. As soon as I told her I was rooting for Clark, she gestured over to the other side of the court and informed me that I would find other Clarkies behind my team’s bench. I thanked her and headed over through the packed bleachers. As I tip-toed down the narrow pathway, flanked by the dynamic audience on one side and by the stanchion poles on the other, I tried my best to balance and not step on anybody’s toes. Despite an individual whom I needed to ask to please step back as I was passing, I successfully made it to the far end of the court. Now I would just need to cross the actual court to finish my journey to the Clarkie section. Thanks to me being one minute ahead of tip-off, the court was clear and let me cross over. I took my seat directly behind Clark’s bench and awaited the start of the game with much anticipation, stoked by the electric environment, much of which was fanned by the pumped Smith students cheering for their own team. I sat down and saw a few fans wearing red and white in the sea of blue and yellow, distinguishing the Clarkies from Smithies.
The teams were already lining up on the court, getting ready for the start of the game and the announcements that were to come before the match’s commencement. The next thing I knew, the game had already started. Clark was off to a good start, forcefully taking a comfortable lead. Despite Smith’s early deficit, the energy in the room did not cease. This was a central theme that remained true throughout the entire game. No matter who was winning, the room was not waning for either Smith’s side or Clark’s side. Smith’s chants were energetic, coordinated, and deafening. Similarly, Clark’s chants were confident, powerful, and optimistic. Although Clark was a small force in a sea of Smith fans, they were distinctly present and dedicated to the team, something that could be felt throughout the entire game. Because my position on the court was directly behind Clark’s bench, I was present in the team’s experience and could see and hear many of the huddles and comments made during the game. These huddles showed the dedication that the coaches had to their team and the precision with which they were focused on to positively and effectively communicate with their team to make the necessary adjustments to lead them to a better outcome. This was shown by the attentiveness that was given by the players, making sure that they heard and took in every word that was relayed. It was clear that Clark was ready for this game by the many difficult cards they were dealt with throughout the season, boosting them to be a part of the championship, a position that Clark Women’s basketball has not been in since 2005.
Although Smith pulled ahead toward the end of the game, ultimately taking the trophy after coming back from a discouraging start, Clark proved to be a worthy opponent and a threat to Smith’s win, fueled by Clark’s players and fans. This is clearly displayed by the way that Clark led their own chants. While Smith had a dedicated cheer team to hype up the audience and lead cheers for the team, Clark had their benched players leading their own chants. Throughout the game, these cheers did not wane. Through the highs and lows, the positive and uplifting atmosphere created by Clark’s players was unceasing. The benched players made sure to clap, chant, cheer, and hype up both the audience and their players on the court. Whenever Clark had a three-point shot, it was certain that the bench would all jump up and raise their hands in anticipation for the points to come and cheer on their own players when they had a chance to score. Even if the points were not secured, the team did not lose hope and were sure to get up during the next opportunity. While it is tempting to feel defeated and let down when such a pressured game slips through your hands, Clark did not yield. Throughout the game and to the very end, Clark did not lose hope or spirit. They continued their rigorous cheering and high spirits to support each other. Despite the unfavorable outcome, their actions show their readiness for another challenge next season, where they will hopefully come home victorious. Make sure to follow next year’s accomplishments and keep an eye on Clark’s Women’s Basketball team and their riveting seasons to come.
