UW-P students try to make O-Zone an organization

Scott Skelly
Exponent

This year, a group of students including fans, band members and cheerleaders are working to take the next step to make the O-Zone more visible on campus.

A group of students are writing a club constitution in hopes of improving the O-Zone and eventually being approved as an official club. Daniel Griffiths of University Tutoring Services has already volunteered to be the adviser.

The Pioneer basketball student section has been known for the past four years as the O-Zone, assistant men’s basketball coach LeVon Crawford, said. It was created to “give students something to call their own.”

Each year, Crawford has helped to create O-Zone T-shirts sponsored by local businesses that are distributed to students for free. This year’s shirts are tentatively scheduled to be distributed in early December.

Meanwhile, they are hoping to get students involved by simply coming to the games ready to cheer. Student organizers Ryan Fields and Shane McKinley hope that things such as pre-game parties at local food establishments will make students want to be involved.

“I really see it growing,” McKinley said.

Student attendance and game involvement is stressed by all of the O-Zone organizers. “We want to have a D-1 atmosphere in a D-3 school,” Crawford said. “We want an electric environment.”

Coordination of the band, cheerleaders and students is another part of the increased effort.

“We will be one big sound,” Fields said. The group is working to have “Zombie Nation” by Kemkraft 400 played just before the game to get students excited.

They are trying to get students interested through a number of methods, such as posters, talking to students, and a Facebook group.

“[Facebook] is a great way to get information about what we’re doing,” Fields said.

Crawford reminds students to take advantage of free admission to UW-Platteville sporting events. The group hopes that the excitement of the O-Zone will eventually spread to other athletic events.

During Bo Ryan’s tenure as head coach, “opponents did not want to come here,” Crawford said. He hopes the students can help bring that feeling back to Pioneer basketball. “Look out, the O-Zone is coming.”