THE SHOCKER DREAM

WSU FOOTBALL LEAVES A MARK

By Grace Alhzem | Staff Writer

Sports are highly valued events all over the country and the Midwest is no exception. Every year, families and friends gather around to support their favorite teams, buzzing with excitement and celebrating the classic athletes and upcoming stars. Volleyball, tennis, baseball and many others provided at Wichita State University (WSU) draw crowds of people each year and help promote the school. However, despite a wide selection of sports, one of the most popular is not part of the roster: football.
Football, an American favorite, used to be offered at WSU. According to an article called “Wichita State Shockers Football: Gridiron Passion Unleashed,” it began in 1897 when the football team played a single game, against a high school. That small win was the first of a legacy that would last nearly 90 years. The team was glowing with promise and many took pride in their local football team.
“The Shockers won MVC titles in 1954, 1955, 1960, 1961 and 1963,” WSU Senior Communicators Director Paul Suellentrop said. “Shocker football flourished at times … That success provided some of the impetus for the university to leave the conference (made up of of small Kansas schools) for the Missouri Valley Conference and the top-level of college athletes.” The WSU article “Cessna Stadium,” explains that the stadium was built in 1969 for the football team. During this time, the Shockers were dominating and there was hope of them becoming a constant power. However, competing at this level required a lot of resources and motivation that was difficult to maintain. Despite their ambitions, WSU was unable to compete against larger schools. Every win had its counterloss and eventually, they seemed to be losing more than winning. Their resources and constant losses led to a decrease in attendance and funds.
In 1970, WSU football changed forever. The team was traveling to play Utah State. There were two planes that were used to transport the players. One of the planes, carrying the starting players, head coach, director and their wives, was nicknamed the “gold,” and the other with the rest of the team the “black.”
According to an article by WSU titled the ‘History of Memorial,’ the gold plane crashed in Colorado. This crash killed 31 people, 14 being players. The event caused widespread panic in the school. Memorials were held to honor the fallen and many carried the weight of grief for years after. Despite all their tributes, it was not enough to erase the past. The university had lost an important part of itself, but despite that, they decided to keep playing in honor of the ones who never came home.
“Wichita State holds a memorial each year on Oct. 2 to remember the victims, survivors, families and friends affected by that crash,” Suellentrop said.
In the following years, WSU football was less about the game and more about perseverance. The loss affected them mentally and physically, but the team members honored them by continuing to play.
“The football players carried the memories of players, coaches, and boosters who died in the crash always in mind and heart,” said Fr. James Billinger, who played at WSU from 1974-1975. “On the other hand, the team was drawn closer together because of the loss of so many in this tragedy.”
The team played several games following the plane crash, but was eventually shut down in 1986. Their ambitious spirits were admired, but the school chose to cancel the sport. WSU has no plans to currently sponsor a football team. It has saved them time, effort, money and helped promote other sports. Some people disagree with this claiming that having a football team would better promote and diversify their school.
“I would go to a WSU football game,” said Kapaun Mt. Carmel junior Abigail Bird. “Having a football team would be good since most colleges do. If they are good then I think they would make a lot of money.”
Most colleges have football as a part of their provided sports, and it gives students an opportunity to connect with each other and build a stronger community. However, the lack of one has not dwindled the sporting community at WSU. Many sports like volleyball, basketball and baseball have been flourishing due to the extra funding and attention. They have managed to attract a myriad of spectators and donors, making up for the lack of their football team.