Showing not only support, but also kindness

On Aug. 31, the Hutchinson Community College football team hosted Independence Community College to open the home portion of the 2019 season.

We left Blue Dragons unsupported, with the home side of Gowans Stadium just slightly fuller than visiting Independence. We are thrilled when our Blue Dragons win, and proud of them for being ranked No. 1 in the NJCAA, but do we really support them?

We believe that they feel support from those few students, and neighbors of the college who do take the time out of their Saturday to come over to Gowans and cheer them on, but the Blue Dragons deserve much more.

We understand that driving multiple hours to watch the team play in another state may not be realistic, but at home in Hutchinson, it should not be that much to ask. The team has players from out of state, that don’t know a single person outside of those they meet on campus. The college and the community need to support the team because it’s the right thing to do.

These players aren’t robots, and they certainly aren’t immune to the emotions that come with being hundreds of miles away from home. They need the support of the Hutchinson community, both on campus and off, and to feel safe off the field.

We, the students and community members of Hutchinson, are the best people to provide this support because we are their peers and the families of peers. We are the people they see on and off-campus when they actually have the chance to get out.

The NJCAA top-ranked Blue Dragons face the No. 2 Butler Community College Grizzlies in Gowans Stadium at noon on Saturday. Options for those unable to attend include Eagle Communication’s Country 102.9 FM broadcast, with pre-game coverage starting at 11:30 AM, and live video on the Blue Dragon Sports Network.

We’ll see you at Gowans Stadium on Saturday.

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