By Liza Horan
New York—Going to the NCAAs for your first college tennis experience is a little like heading to Wimbledon to witness your first pro tennis match. The position of spectator carries with it a specific set of unspoken rules unique to that event. If a newbie attends without any forewarning, it may take a day or so to understand the culture.
At Wimbledon, it's about order and propriety. You wait in line—whether it's for admission, a seat in the stands of an outside court, or for your cup of strawberries and cream—there is no jockeying for a good position to zoom ahead of those not paying attention.
It's rare that a chair umpire should have to quiet fans before a serve, simply because tradition has trained them to behave. An occasional errant ball or utterance from a player may elicit laughter or a collective sigh, but any noise from the stands is usually reserved to applause and a couple of shout-outs.
One's attire at the
All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club runs either the 'garden party' variety or 'sporty', yet neat and comfortable. While there are no bouncers outside the wrought-iron gates, the ticket scanners are decked out in tailored suits and hats. Green and purple are the theme colors. It's quite the affair.
Just as decorum for this most civilized championship is set from the moment you enter the grounds, so too are the rules of conduct at the
NCAA championships, which were held in May at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma.
Instead of passing through a battalion of uniformed ticket-takers, followed by a security staff who checks bags, the way into the college match is usually through a smiling volunteer wearing a staff T-shirt and name badge. There's no line. As you step toward the courts, the decibel level increases until it's hard to know what the fans are hollering. If an umpire utters "Quiet, please!" it's only to tone down the reverie, not to still the airwaves.
Welcome to college tennis!
The code of conduct is spirited encouragement of 'your' team. That means wearing some team-related apparel— like a shirt, hat or bag—whether it carries the logo or it is simply matching team colors. It's blue and gold for the UCLA Bruins, green and gold for the Baylor Bears, and red and black for the Georgia Bulldogs.
People need to know who you stand for, and cheering is nearly mandatory. With 64 teams playing singles and doubles for both the team and the individual competitions, there's lots of opportunity to provide support over the two-week tournament.
Both spectator groups have incredible passion. Wimbledon fans are lovers of the game and judicious about character. College tennis fans are dedicated to their team players.
However, fans at both events are fair. Rather than put down opponents or trash talk as they do in other sports, tennis spectators seem to favor winning by rising to an opportunity. It's an environment of respect. While the outward character of Wimbledon and of the NCAAs are at opposite ends of the spectrum—requisite packing is an umbrella at one and a mini bullhorn at the other—they are united in spirit.
Related links:
- NCAA men's results-
NCAA women's results
