The Student Section at Weber State University is getting a complete makeover starting this Homecoming week.
The discussion about rebranding the Student Section and giving it a new look was brought up during one of the WSUSA late-night meetings last Wednesday.
“If you want to brand the student section, you brand the student section on the biggest game of the year,” WSUSA President Gregory Woodfield said, “because (the homecoming game) is the opportunity for Weber State to celebrate who they are, how far they’ve come and it’s just like this big kick-off.”
The Student Section is a group of Wildcats who represent Weber State at games and support student athletes, cheering and inciting school spirit.
While the Student Section is primarily comprised of students, Service Vice President Morgan Gardiner said it can also include faculty, students from other schools and community members alike.
According to Gardiner, there are no requirements for being part of the Student Section.
“At the last game, I met a whole group of freshmen, and there were three who weren’t even going to this school. Yet they were wearing Weber shirts, and they were coming and supporting, and that’s what it’s all about.” Gardiner said, “It’s about the camaraderie with the community and the school.”
According to Clubs & Organizations Vice President Marc DeYoung, five titles for rebranding the Student Section were nominated by five different Weber State committees: WSUSA, LDSSA, Student-Athletics Association Committee (SAAC), The Student Alumni Association (SAA) and The Student Ambassadors.
The names entered were The Wildcat Front, The Claw, The Destruction, The Pack, and The Dub Club. A poll was then opened on Facebook and Instagram for students to vote for the name they thought best represented the new Student Section.
After about a week of voting, the name chosen for this year’s Student Section is The Wildcat Front or “The Front” for short.
According to DeYoung, coming up with the new title was part of a collaboration of both the organizations and the students. He said the rebrand of the Student Section will help get more wildcats to the stands.
“We are trying to almost market the Student Section better and just make it that much more appealing to students to come and support these athletic events,” DeYoung said.
During the meeting, Woodfield also suggested upgrading Weber State’s “third-down lock-down” ritual and designing new signs that would go along with the new Wildcat Front.
For him, one of the goals for the homecoming game is to get the audience more engaged and create momentum for long-lasting traditions and school spirit throughout the year.
He hopes to create a homecoming game students will never forget.
“I want to make it a grand-slam, and I want it to be that moment, that pivotal moment, like, in my head, where it’s an orchestra, and everything is just perfect,” he said.
Plans to implement these new changes to the Student Section are already underway.
Editor’s Note: Corrections have been made to reflect the current publication.
