It isn’t every day that you get to go watch a sporting event from the bottom level at Quicken Loans Arena. This Saturday, that is just what Case Western Reserve University students were able to do as the club hockey team played The College of Wooster at the Q. With seating restricted to only a few sections of the arena, there was a sense of togetherness among the crammed-in Spartans’ supporters.

From the very first faceoff, witty yells were heard throughout the arena, and great hockey was played by CWRU. In an 8-4 win for the good guys, it was awesome to sit in the seats and hear the pockets of cheering for each individual player. When your friend would enter the ice for his shift, or do something productive in the rink, it was obvious who was there to watch him play, and that was pretty cool. Being in the first few rows also provided a sense of closeness to the action that is hard to come by at sporting events.

While fans hit the glass to mess with coaches and players, all were able to enjoy their Halloween afternoon. A few costumes were seen amongst the supporters who were in the spirit of the day, including an especially enthusiastic Oh Henry! Bar. Yes, that is a type of chocolate bar for anyone who may have been wondering, and no, I have no idea what it tastes like, but it certainly made for a supportive fan. It was great to see the majority of CWRU supporters stick around to the final horn, and it was obvious that the players were happy to see their friends there to watch the win.

Throughout the game, players were able to acknowledge their friends in between shifts, just a small interaction that showed the importance of the support they were receiving. At the end of the day, an 8-4 win is always better than any loss. However this was a day more about friendship and school spirit.

To go downtown to watch a hockey game may not have been most students’ idea about how to spend a chunk of Halloween, but there were a few sections full of people proudly cheering on their school. Everyone had a great time watching a solid hockey team full of their very own friends. This should lead to more support for the club hockey team the rest of the season. Hopefully crowds as enthusiastic and supportive as the one at the Q go out and watch the team play.