In the last five years, the Lady Buffs softball program has seen major transformation. On the field, they have been the winningest NCAA program in the state of Texas. In the last five years, the team has won two Lone Star Conference championships and has advanced to the NCAA post-season four times. Head coach Kevin Blaskowski attributes the program’s recent successes and the construction of Schaeffer Park in 2010 to the growing number of fans in attendance at home games.
“We have seen a major increase in our attendance,” Coach Blaskowsi said. “We have more wins in the past five years than any other NCAA program at any level.”
Coach Blaskowski said the construction of Schaeffer Park has played a major role in the increased attendance at games as it is an outstanding venue. The addition of lights has been important because it allows more night games to be played, making it even more fan friendly.
“Last year, we led NCAA-II in total attendance with over 12,000 fans attending our games,” Coach Blaskowski said. “That is an outstanding number. The atmosphere at Schaeffer Park was outstanding during the second half of the regular season and the post-season. The energy that our fans created drove us to performing as well as we did on the field.”
Seniors Allie Cranfill, Kaisha Dacosin and Tyler Wilkinson credit part of the team’s recent success to the fans. Cranfill, first baseman, said without their fans and the energy they give, the games would be completely different to the players. Fans show the team they want to be there to cheer them on and support, Dacosin, third baseman, said. Wilkinson said the fans do even more than cheer them on. The centerfielder from Idaho Falls, Idaho said having fans there and seeing people support their team gives a sense of purpose.
Supporters of the Lady Buffs make the atmosphere incredible for the players. When the crowd gets pumped up, the ladies get pumped up and game-ready. Seeing people support their team is proof to the ladies that playing on a sports team is about being a part of something bigger than themselves.
“You become friends, or even a role model, with the crowd and create a bond that is indescribable,” Wilkinson said.
The players take pride in the fact that Buff Nation has their back, and the packed stands are a sign that Buff Nation believes in their ability to win. The fans make the team play even harder.
“The fans play a huge role for my team,” Dacosin said. “[They] push us in the right direction and push us to become better players every day. They help us grow and work towards our goals.”
For the team, walking out of the locker room and stepping into the dugout with the stands packed makes playing even better, and they are hoping to increase the number of fans at home games this year. The Lady Buffs play at home on 17 dates this season, and they are aiming to have an attendance of 17,000.
“We thrive off of the energy and support the fans give up,” Cranfill said. “We are shooting to have over 1,000 fans at our home games this year.”
Coach Blaskowski said it is the next step in the development of the program. Reaching this attendance mark would mean establishing the highest in NCAA-II softball. Coach Blaskowski would be thrilled, but for him, it isn’t about breaking a record.
“It’s a goal,” he said, “and I believe we can achieve [it]. We have the best fans in the country. Buff Nation provides great support for all our programs, combining that with the excitement and energy of last season’s national championship, I believe this is attainable goal, not a record.”
The players would be thrilled to reach that number in attendance, as they all love and can’t get enough of the energy that comes from walking out of the locker room and into the dugout to see the stands packed.
“If we were to break the NCAA DII softball attendance record, I would honestly get goose bumps,” Wilkinson said. “Having that big of a fan support would mean the world to this program.
Reserved chair back seats have been added to the stands this year, and they have all been sold out. The program has also presold more than 250 season passes and 150 family passes for the 2015 home season. They are working with the CORE office to create student incentives for attending the games and joining the “Bleacher Babes,” who Coach Blaskowski said is the best student group in the country and expressed his gratitude to the men who made that happen.
“We live for Friday and Saturday games,” Cranfill said, “and we love looking up in the stands and seeing the excitement our fans are experiencing. We have always said Buff Nation and the crowd in our stands makes the hair on your neck stand up. It’s the greatest feeling ever. I am very excited to see what our fans bring us this year.”
