Fan support helps student-athletes on the field, in the classroom

Cam Cameron

Head Football Coach, IUB

The last time I ran onto the football field of Memorial Stadium clad in a Hoosier uniform, it was 1983, and I was a backup quarterback for Indiana University. Tomorrow, for IUB's first home football game of the 1997 season, I'll come onto the field as the Hoosier head coach. The clothing will be different, but my emotions will be the same as they were 14 years ago -- excitement, anticipation, determination and unmeasurable pride.

As a graduate of Indiana University, I'm anxious to get this home season started. I'm using this column to say that my staff and I, along with every student-athlete on our team, will be working to produce a program that inspires fan support and loyalty. And we'll do it while continuing to conduct our program in first-class fashion. I'm sure that our kids will live up to this challenge.

I hope that you, our faculty and staff, respond in kind by supporting our efforts, as I believe that college athletics is a vital and valuable part of the collegiate experience for our student-athletes.

A lot of guys and gals around the country have benefitted from college athletics, including me. My stepfather, Tom Harp, was the head football coach at Duke and also coached at Indiana State and Cornell. I know the discipline that he brought from the college sports arena and passed on to me paid huge dividends in my life.

I was able to play college football and basketball, and get my degree in four years. After graduation, I stayed on for a fifth year of athletic eligibility and a year towards my master's degree.

In a competitive world, college athletics provides a valuable opportunity for young people to learn to compete. Coaches want players who go out on a day-to-day basis and compete against the persons lined up across from them. That's great preparation for life.

Student-athletes who succeed at the highest level in the classroom are usually some of our best football players. They're not afraid to walk into a class and say, "I know there are a lot of smart kids in this class, but I'm going to outwork them." I would like to think that some of that mentality comes from playing sports.

So, tomorrow, when I lead the Hoosiers onto Memorial Field for the home opener with Ball State, I hope you'll be there to recognize the efforts of our student-athletes. You'll be backing a fine and worthy cause.

And, you'll have a great time!