Dear Tina,

The basketball team did a wonderful job this year, between practicing, going to class and trying to keep their heads on straight from all the excitement. I don’t know how they did it. It was hard enough for me to stay focused, and I was only trying to balance homework and watching the games. Imagine actually being in the game! So now how do I deal with life after basketball?

Sincerely,

Forever a Villanova Fan

Dear Forever,

As a loyal fan, I, too, am struggling with the post-season blues. Why is it so hard to move on from our journey? Isn’t basketball just a game? The answer in the minds of the ‘Nova Nation should be no. What I have come to realize is that we as a team, a player, a fan, a community, have a hard time letting go because we had, and still hav,e so much faith in our school.

It takes a lot for a player to travel from city to city constantly giving their all. No one ever said they had to do it. They play simply for the love of the game and their fans. Each one of them has worked to their fullest potential and should leave no room for regrets and for those reasons we feel for our friends who gave it their all.

On the other side, not only should we consider the player, but also the fan. This week, I had the privilege of conducting a tour around Villanova’s campus for prospective students and their families, and one of the mothers of a student asked me at the end of the tour, “What is your favorite part about Villanova?” I looked at her with a confident face and said, “The fans.” I later explained the sense of loyalty behind my favorite thing at Villanova.

“The fan” is an aura that will never terminate. When a student steps foot into the stadium at a football game, on the field at a softball game or on the bleachers at the Pavilion, they let their guard down. Everyone becomes “the fan.” The cheers, the claps – they’re all instinct. As a fan, we feel compelled to encourage our school. I continued to tell her that there is something to be said about 150 people gathering at the Pavilion after the loss to Florida at two in the morning. Win or lose “the fan” was still there. Whether we were there when Kerry Kittles led the team or when the 2005-2006 team led the ‘Nova Nation to victory in our own hearts, “the fan” has seen it all. And because we have been there forever, we don’t know how to cope with life after basketball.

My instant remedy for this situation is to plan for next year. Don’t be so quick to hang up the angel wings, fold the army kilt or put the big blue afro away. Stock up on your blue and white face paint and start buying more ribbon because life isn’t over after basketball or any game for that matter.

Resolution: we prepare for next year!

Fight to Win!

Tina