Bronco athletics offered numerous highlights over the years

When I first set foot onto Western Michigan University’s campus in the fall of 2002, I was a self-proclaimed sports nut.

Adam Bouton

Not much has changed since then, but I am now an even bigger sports nut thanks to Bronco athletics.

I’ve witnessed some great sports teams, more than a few gifted athletes and several terrific games in my years as a student at WMU.  It’s very safe to say that when I leave Kalamazoo (which is regretfully inevitable), one of the biggest things I’ll miss are Bronco athletics.

Before covering sports for the Western Herald, I was a fan and tried to get to as many games with my friends as I could.  Western Michigan sports were something that I became addicted to because of the competitiveness of the teams and also because of the success that they had.

There are many reasons that I have enjoyed following sports here at WMU.

I was lucky enough to witness the first time Kalamazoo’s own Greg Jennings touched a football (on a punt return which he nearly returned for a touchdown) during a game at Western Michigan.  I watched with so many others as Jennings blossomed into a star and led the nation in receiving in his senior season as a Bronco.

Jennings was probably the best athlete that I watched while at WMU.  He burned past opposing defenders like they were glued to the field beneath them.  Clearly, he was destined for greatness.
Nothing was better than sitting or standing in the stands of Waldo Stadium on those Saturday afternoons when the Broncos tussled with one of their rivals.  Even though those yearly battles with
Central Michigan University, in usually foul weather, were an experience, the games were among the best I’ve ever seen, even if they didn’t always go WMU’s way.  I was fortunate enough to be treated to two bowl games while a student, the 2007 International Bowl and 2009 Texas Bowl.  It was also a treat in itself to cover the Texas Bowl in Houston this past January.

The Bronco football game against the University of Illinois at Ford Field this past season had to be one of the more exciting games to watch in college.  Watching the performance put on by Jamarko Simmons in front of the “home crowd” and then watching as the defense made a last-second stand defensively on four consecutive downs to clinch the victory, was thrilling to say the least.
Bronco hockey games were the thing to do back in 2004 and 2005 on Fridays and Saturdays.  I remember shivering in a long line for seemingly hours, waiting for the doors to finally open at Lawson Ice Arena.  We would all pour into the warmth and on most nights, it was hard to find a seat amongst the masses of students donned in black.  Back then, standing room only was not uncommon.
Games against the University of Michigan and the University of Notre Dame were games that everyone looked forward to.  The Lawson Lunatics were a force to be reckoned with back then and in many respects, still are.

The hockey squad suffered a few down years only to awaken this year and capture the first home playoff series win in 15 years behind junior Riley Gill, a rising group of freshmen and senior Patrick Galivan.  One thing you can rely on with many of Western Michigan’s athletic teams is that they’ll never quit, such as this year with hockey, and they’ll perform their best against the top competition in the nation.

I remember the historic season of 2004 when Ben Reed, Mike Williams, Brian Snider and a young Joe Reitz led the Bronco men’s basketball team to an NCAA Tournament birth.  It was almost chilling watching the team play on national television during primetime and even though they couldn’t pull off the upset, watching the squad play amongst the final 64 teams was good enough.  The team then followed that up with a semi-successful run in the National Invitational Tournament the next year.  Even though the team hasn’t had as much success recently, head coach Steve Hawkins has provided some good roots for the program for years to come.

One of the best parts about Bronco sports was that all athletic events were free of admission.  It has been this way ever since I can remember and that tradition continues.  WMU should receive more recognition for not charging their students.  Any student can walk into just about any event at any time and enjoy the sports event of their choosing.  You don’t have to be a “sports nut” to attend games.  Everyone and anyone are welcome and because most stadiums and arenas are within walking distance of campus, almost all events are accessible to students.

Another thing that I’ve noticed recently is how many of the coaches at WMU are dedicated to this university.  Hawkins, Bill Cubit, Jim Culhane, Randy Ford, Kelly Lycan and others all seem incredibly committed to Kalamazoo and this school.

It seems as though they would rather stay here and be a part of this university and its athletic programs than perhaps move on to bigger, more prolific schools.  That’s something that should be commended.

Looking past some of the major sports, there are other athletic teams that have had historical seasons during my tenure as a student.  The men’s and women’s tennis teams are both forces to be reckoned with.  Both teams have won MAC Tournament crowns in recent years, with the men capturing regular season and postseason titles.  The women’s basketball team, baseball and softball squads and many other teams have all enjoyed banner years while I was enrolled at WMU.

Not to be forgotten is the volleyball squad which advanced to the Sweet 16 in this year’s NCAA Tournament before falling to eventual champion Penn State University.

Wherever you look at WMU, no matter what season, you are apt to find a successful athletic team.

Looking back, I’ve really received a bargain when it comes to Bronco athletics.  I’ve been indulged with so many great moments, great seasons and great athletes.  It’s truly been an enjoyable and rewarding experience to go to WMU for seven years and watch the talented Bronco athletes and remarkable teams come and go.  Brown and Gold will forever live on inside of me, even after I leave Kalamazoo.

Fight on, Fight on for Western!

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Posted by HeraldAdmin on Apr 20 2009. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Cody Kimball
Web Manager: I'm a Communication Student at WMU, a SCUBA Diver, Boater, Ordained Minister, Notary Public, Web Designer, Film Maker, DJ, and of course a Journalist. Born and raised in Port Huron, MI and a graduate of SC4. http://www.codykimball.com