Guest Column: A message from USUSA Athletics & Campus Recreation Vice President Taylor Sampson

**Editor’s note: Due to a production error, a guest column from Lucas Stevens was printed in place of Taylor Sampson’s guest column in the print edition of The Utah Statesman published on Monday, Nov. 1.

This school year has already been a record-breaking season for our Fall Sports, and we have only just begun. We are just at the end of Football, Soccer and Volleyball seasons and the start of basketball season, and the excitement is at an all time high in Cache Valley. This year in sports has been a refreshing start for USU Athletics, especially post COVID-19. Not only are we restarting the traditions and school spirit instilled through new and returning Aggies, but we have fresh faces on most of our teams. We have new coaches, players, staff and much more coming to Utah State. 

The interesting thing about these new coaches are the new perspectives they bring to the table. We have new coaches from UMBC, Arkansas, Troy, and many other colleges. In meeting these coaches in one-on-one meetings I have been able to learn more about other colleges and what changes we can bring to Utah State. 

What these coaches have told me is that they want to do whatever they can for the students. The student interaction and engagement is the most important aspect to these coaches. Coaches have been coming to events to interact and create personal relationships with many students on campus. In my opinion, the more involved these coaches are getting with student involvement has a tendency to help grow attendance at certain sporting events. 

For example, on October 25th, the Women’s Basketball Coach held an event for the first time in Utah State History. It was an open practice to show students how the team is different this year than past years, with their new high speed tempo. The incentive, $500 out of Coach Kayla Ard’s pocket to one student. This was a way to show how invested Coach Ard is to the students to attend future Women’s Basketball Games. This is only one example of how the coaches are making a difference to try and create friendships with students. 

For me, the impact of these new fresh faces within Athletics has been eye opening, especially since after COVID. It has been hard to reteach thousands of students what it is like to be a part of the HURD, but with these new coaches, players, even students we are building a whole new Aggie Tradition of supporting more than just one sport. I have loved getting to know each Coach individually and seeing how the student section impacts each sport. The students truly don’t know how impactful they are, and in this past season of Fall Sports, these coaches have told me just how crazy fun and wild the students are, and that energy is just what the athletes need to play better in every game. Students are a huge factor of each game, just as much as the student athletes. 

The HURD has been bigger, louder, stronger and full of school spirit that is going noticed nationwide. Not only has this year been different, but the atmosphere of the HURD has been growing to more than just Football this Fall. We have had huge turn outs at our Women’s athletic events especially. The importance of supporting every sport has been something that I am passionate about, especially in this position. With this support we have seen how impactful the students are. 

So I invite you to try your hardest to go out and support all of our student athletes in their games. Especially the lower attended games. You will always find a friend to cheer with and I am confident that you will have a good time. Utah State has a great atmosphere of supporting others, especially in our Athletics program. So I hope to see you at the next home game! 

And as always, gwaggies!