Nothing sums up the Carleton experience like the Capital Hoops Classic each February.
The annual basketball game against the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees exemplifies why I am proud to be a Raven. The game is more than just a sporting event. The game enables students, faculty, and the external community to all come together and leave everything else at the door.
This event is a source of pride, with the men’s team winning seven out of the nine Capital Hoops meetings since the event’s inauguration in 2007 and the women’s team has won five of the eight matchups.
But it needs to be revitalized.
This event is one of my favorite experiences of the year, but many in the Carleton community are missing out.
Of course, we all remember the Panda Game with the excitement and pride we all felt. It was astonishing to see the amount that came out to watch the Ravens rescue Pedro. I envision that same experience at Capital Hoops.
In 2009, the game hosted 10,000 fans, but that has levelled off to about 7,000.
I am disappointed those numbers have dwindled. I don’t think people recognize that to go to Capital Hoops you don’t need extensive knowledge about basketball, or even need to like the game in order to have a good time.
Sometimes it is just fun to dress up, paint your face, and yell out those profanity-laced cheers at the Gee-Gees.
I hope more of the Carleton community realizes what a great opportunity the Capital Hoops Classic is because my favourite part of this school is how invested and connected everyone is in one another, and it would be a shame to lose that quality.
