By Emma Grace Howlett ‘25
Pomona’s brand new gym blends seamlessly into the campus’s Spanish mission-style architecture. The gym floors gleam golden beneath expansive windows that look out onto the towering San Gabriel Mountains. While I have never been one to attend a sporting event that was not my own, this beautiful building inspired me and my roommate to become bonafide Sagehen sport fans.
This fall, my roommate and I enjoyed attending women’s volleyball and men’s basketball games in Voelkel Gymnasium. All games are free to attend, which grants us the flexibility to attend as many as we please. While the stands may be sparsely populated for midweek games, my roommate and I relish the quiet atmosphere; empty stands mean you can always be close to the action. Funnily enough, my roommate and I have taken to pulling out our laptops to get some homework done during breaks and time-outs. Watching the athletes energizes us to power through a dense reading or a difficult problem.
Meanwhile, 6th Street Rivalry games, in which we play our arch-rival and next-door neighbor Claremont McKenna College, draw large and enthusiastic crowds. You might even spot Cecil himself! At these events, the athletes afford all our attention as our peers chant and cheer the Sagehens on. It’s fun to be swept away by the festive air.
Attending sporting events has inspired me and my roommate to be more active. We now go to the weight room together every week, and use the practice gym to play volleyball and basketball. While I am a soccer player myself, it has been fun to try my hand at something new, and get absolutely obliterated by my roommate every time we play Horse.
We also attend outdoor sporting events, taking the chance to soak up the sun and lie in the sweet-smelling grass. Highlights from last semester include catching the football team’s winning touchdown in the SCIACC championship and watching the men’s soccer 6th Street Rivalry game under the lights.
I now appreciate how athletic events can build community by uniting the student body in support of its peers and encouraging everyone to stay active. Whenever we can spare the time in our schedule, my roommate and I try to catch a game. It has become one of our favorite bonding activities.
