When it comes to the pride and tradition of Shaw University, most alumni value the annual homecoming events that just ended last week. The alumni show pride and tradition by coming back to the school to show support to their alma mater and to show what they have been doing with their lives since graduating from this university. I think that the festivities last week were the best homecoming activities in Shaw University’s history to date.
The turnout was outstanding to the point where the on-campus activities and the football game ran out of everything they had including; sold out tickets, food, and clothing items as everything was going fast. To crown it all, saturday’s football game against Chowan University brought winning results to delighted alumni. As a football player, this weekend’s game was very important. My teammates and I had strong feelings while in the locker room and getting dressed before the game. We had to win. The locker room was tense in the air as trainers walked around taping the players’ ankles and wrists to prevent cramping on the field. I looked around and saw everyone’s game face as the coach gave the pre-game speech and the pastor joined us for prayer.
Finally, once we stepped onto the field, the tension made us excited. It was as if we were at war with Chowan. To us, we were about to engage in a life-or-death battle, so losing was not an option. A huge but rewarding struggle finally saw us win. Putting on my pads, my pants and my cleats along with my jersey gave me a great sense of pride after a great victory. A week of festivities and pride ended proudly. This year’s Homecoming was the best; it’s what we needed as a football team, a unit, and a family. Shaw University’s pride and tradition will never die it will only get stronger.