UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

[UNHhockey29]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

Sorry to change the subject here, but has the team released any information regarding next seasons out of conference opponents?

UNH will be going to Miami OH, I believe for 2 games. I have also heard talk of Michigan come out here for 1 but remember on that one all I have heard is talk so I don't know how true it is.

[WILD E WOLVERINE]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

UNH will be going to Miami OH, I believe for 2 games. I have also heard talk of Michigan come out here for 1 but remember on that one all I have heard is talk so I don't know how true it is.

I'd love to see Michigan on the schedule again - they did host UNH a few years back, so it would make sense. It was initially going to be a two game series at Yost, but the 2nd game was switched to MSU.

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

UNH will be going to Miami OH, I believe for 2 games. I have also heard talk of Michigan come out here for 1 but remember on that one all I have heard is talk so I don't know how true it is.

There has been talk of Michigan coming out for several years. Never seems to happen, it is always going to happen in some nebulous future.

[InsideHockey]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

UNH season wrapup video from Biz Jacobs

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[d.gerry]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

But it takes organization and leadership, things that have to fall to those in the correct age group, right JB?

You are correct Greg. Our section (you know who we are!) use to do a pretty good job of keeping the "season ticket holder" group into the game. This began when the Whit opened, but now I am in a different age bracket and a section full of little ones! Just not quite the same.

You don't need many, just one or two vocal people who are willing to get the crowd into it.

[cgoodwin]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

I've been lurking a bit and thought I'd chime in. For those of you who don't know me, I'm the band director.

If we're looking to make a change, I'd volunteer the band to head up the cheering at the games. That would get the voices up above and behind the students, so more people would be able to hear it, plus it would truly be student-led. I've wanted them to be more active leading cheers, but I think there's been a concern about stepping on toes and "tradition." If the torch were officially passed, then that would solve the problem.

If you guys were on board with this, I would probably have designated cheer captains (for lack of a better term) within the band who know what cheers are done when and why, and who are already big hockey fans. Actually, some of the cheers even started with the marching band "back in the day." Heck, I was told a friend of mine who graduated in the 80s started the "Gimme a U!" cheer.

I think having "plants" in the crowd would help as well, especially early in the season. I was even thinking of producing a CD or website of some of the cheers and fight songs to distribute to new students so they can learn them in advance. That may be a little too dorky, but I'm brainstorming here.

I got so frustrated last weekend seeing Cornell's and RIT's fans, because I don't know what we can do to get that level of participation. As someone else mentioned, they weren't just their students! Yes, getting more people to the road games would help, but even at home we can't get everyone to chant "U-N-H!" together, let alone clap in different directions or perform cheers with more than 3 syllables.

I think there is also a coolness factor in the student section that they need to get over. The hosers, etc. do all sorts of things that would look great if everyone did them together, but the students seem to think either a) "that's THEIR thing, I'm not allowed to join in," or b) "People might look at me funny if I join in." That's where I think having the plants will help. If they start to see other people doing it, they may realize it's okay to do it too. Peer pressure! At least I hope so. Or maybe our students only want to participate when the word "suck" or worse is used. If that's the case, then I give up.

Anyway, I want to make the band part of the solution. A lot of the game traditions exist without the band because we weren't coming to all the games in the past, or because we were across the ice. But that all changed four years ago. We're here to stay, so put us to work!

[freak]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

Casey,

When I get home from work tonight I will send along on facebook the ideas I've been kicking around for next year. My goals are big, and collaboration with the band is an essential part of it.

Just a heads up.

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

I've been lurking a bit and thought I'd chime in. For those of you who don't know me, I'm the band director.

If we're looking to make a change, I'd volunteer the band to head up the cheering at the games. That would get the voices up above and behind the students, so more people would be able to hear it, plus it would truly be student-led. I've wanted them to be more active leading cheers, but I think there's been a concern about stepping on toes and "tradition." If the torch were officially passed, then that would solve the problem.

If you guys were on board with this, I would probably have designated cheer captains (for lack of a better term) within the band who know what cheers are done when and why, and who are already big hockey fans. Actually, some of the cheers even started with the marching band "back in the day." Heck, I was told a friend of mine who graduated in the 80s started the "Gimme a U!" cheer.

I think having "plants" in the crowd would help as well, especially early in the season. I was even thinking of producing a CD or website of some of the cheers and fight songs to distribute to new students so they can learn them in advance. That may be a little too dorky, but I'm brainstorming here.

I got so frustrated last weekend seeing Cornell's and RIT's fans, because I don't know what we can do to get that level of participation. As someone else mentioned, they weren't just their students! Yes, getting more people to the road games would help, but even at home we can't get everyone to chant "U-N-H!" together, let alone clap in different directions or perform cheers with more than 3 syllables.

I think there is also a coolness factor in the student section that they need to get over. The hosers, etc. do all sorts of things that would look great if everyone did them together, but the students seem to think either a) "that's THEIR thing, I'm not allowed to join in," or b) "People might look at me funny if I join in." That's where I think having the plants will help. If they start to see other people doing it, they may realize it's okay to do it too. Peer pressure! At least I hope so. Or maybe our students only want to participate when the word "suck" or worse is used. If that's the case, then I give up.

Anyway, I want to make the band part of the solution. A lot of the game traditions exist without the band because we weren't coming to all the games in the past, or because we were across the ice. But that all changed four years ago. We're here to stay, so put us to work!

WOW!!!!!!!!

The next trick is getting the cow bell aligned with the band. That may mean giving the cow bell to the band at home games... I don't know.

I was just thinking about plants. Well one guy/girl doing silly things is potentially a freak. But a group is more powerful. Could the RA on floors of freshman be involved? Bring them to the games; introduce them to the culture make big groups of "plants". Potentially use the Ath. Dept. to get them tickets via the RA instead of box office, if the RA is playing nice with our little plan (I feel like I need that cartoon evil character laugh now).

Lastly as much as some students want sucks and b!t&h the adults with kids no can do. So the more it is clean the more the rest of the Whitt can participate. The goal cheer fell off around the arena after the "you suck" was added to just sieve, somehow got to convince the plant that should be out.

[zoofer]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

thanks to you all for your great ideas....it truly is a shame that the Whitt has grown so sullen....JB is correct that the cowbell should be included....at snively, it always led the fans into motion....thanks to cgoodwin for stepping up with some good ideas...regarding what the Admin. is up to or has for ideas, I think if you talk or involve Amber, she could be an asset......her marketing group was researching the crowds at the women's games to better understand that market segment....maybe she can be helpful....

[JB]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

thanks to you all for your great ideas....it truly is a shame that the Whitt has grown so sullen....JB is correct that the cowbell should be included....at snively, it always led the fans into motion....thanks to cgoodwin for stepping up with some good ideas...regarding what the Admin. is up to or has for ideas, I think if you talk or involve Amber, she could be an asset......her marketing group was researching the crowds at the women's games to better understand that market segment....maybe she can be helpful....

Please figure out how to get Amber to connect with Casey Goodwin the band director.

[cgoodwin]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

Please figure out how to get Amber to connect with Casey Goodwin the band director.

Oh, she's my contact over there, so I'll get in touch with her.

[lkenney]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

From the Ottawa Senators website:

http://senators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=523611&navid=DL|OTT|home

[RockTheWhit]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

Casey, thanks for coming on here to add to the discussion. You all have some excellent ideas, and I like the direction Casey added. I am a student and have been to just about all home AND away games over the past few years. I would take on the reigns of cheer-spreading, but I am graduating in May and I feel like the responsibility needs to go back to the students. I am friends with many of the Hosers and they do a great job with their cheers, but I feel like many of today's students just laugh at them instead of joining in. If it was actual students playing the bell and leading cheers, I think that could go a long way toward getting the entire section more involved. Heck, there is even a facebook group with a few thousand members calling for students to play the bell.
Because no names come to mind, I think taking the bell back to the band could be a good temporary solution and a definite step in the right direction. Eventually, maybe there could be a facebook group or email list run by the band or athletic dept that could find a leader/bell player. This networking could also be used to organize road trips if it works.

[UNHKazooMonkey]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

I don't think giving control of the cowbell over to the band will solve any problems that the "student section" has. Especially with the students leaving in the 2nd to get drunk or play beer pong...

we've added numerous cheers over the past couple years in order to not have the letters u-n-h shouted throughout the rink a million times. and most of them are classy, not umassy.

the "you suck" was only to be added after sieve during games we played nu for (because they do it to us). casual fans made it so they stick and have thrown around the word tradition because they are too afraid to be the one to change it.

we'd be glad to work together but we aren't the problem with the volume at games.

[UNHKazooMonkey]

Re: UNH Wildcats 2010 off-season thread

If it was actual students playing the bell and leading cheers, I think that could go a long way toward getting the entire section more involved. Heck, there is even a facebook group with a few thousand members calling for students to play the bell.
Because no names come to mind, I think taking the bell back to the band could be a good temporary solution and a definite step in the right direction. Eventually, maybe there could be a facebook group or email list run by the band or athletic dept that could find a leader/bell player. This networking could also be used to organize road trips if it works.

never seen the group and have looked numerous times to find it.