Back in the pack

Oregon's masterful performance at Hayward this year has summoned the support of 'Bowerman's Pack'

By: Robert Husseman

Posted: 4/24/09

They've stood out in Hayward Field's Powell Plaza, yellow-clad and finding their voice. They've chanted and cheered the Oregon track athletes to success, and have received praise from the athletes, Assistant Athletic Director Vin Lananna, and the Oregon Sports Network television broadcast team.

"The television commentators who were calling the (Pepsi Team Invitational) stated that 'this is probably the largest student turnout in the history of Hayward Field,'" said Kyle Rehder, a University MBA student, "which we were obviously very proud of."

"I know all the athletes and coaches have just been in awe with all the support there's been," track and field assistant Patrick Werhane said. "All the coaches love it, and all the athletes, they love it even more."

The object of affection is Bowerman's Pack, cementing itself as the official student section of Oregon track and field in its first year of operation. If the idea of an "official" student section for track and field, along the lines of the basketball Pit Crew, raises eyebrows, there's good reason for that.

"This is probably the only official one out there," Werhane said.

Werhane, a former Oregon distance runner, has teamed up with MBA majors Rehder, Neil Young, BJ Sorensen, Colin Gearity and Jonathon Riddle in heading up the project. Colleen Wrenn, Oregon's former director of operations for track and field, was Werhane's predecessor as liaison to the track and field office before leaving Oregon to become part of the administration team for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Numbering 230 students strong, with attendance of around 100 at each of the two home meets thus far, the Bowerman's Pack team has provided incentives for attendance.

Pizza has been served at both meets, and an African drum corps will add to the noise at the Oregon Relays. Students who attend three of the four home meets - including today's Oregon Relays and the Oregon Twilight on May 9 - will receive tickets to the Pacific-10 Conference Championships on May 16-17 and the first official Bowerman's Pack T-shirt, provided by Nike.

Student feedback has been nothing but positive, Rehder and Werhane say.

"For just recently debuting, the Pack has done a great job," University junior Rene Sanchez said. "I look forward to seeing Bowerman's Pack creating itself a place amongst the other major students sections for the other sports at the University of Oregon."

Bowerman's Pack attempts to court sports fans who may not have great exposure to track and field to boost its numbers, and therein lies its greatest concern: how to get students to cheer effectively at a track meet. With multiple events often going on simultaneously, confusion can ruin effectiveness.

"There are a lot of students that come to the meet and they are trying to learn the little nuances of cheering on their track team but the knowledge is not there yet," Sanchez said. "What do you say when Galen Rupp is on his second lap of the 5,000 meter race? 'Great job jogging ... way to stay with the rest of the runners?'"

Werhane and Rehder believe that, with continued education on those little nuances, Bowerman's Pack will become a greater force.

"I think we're setting the bar right now," Werhane said. "If you go and watch any film from the UCLA dual meet and listen to the chants - you don't see that anywhere. I think we're doing a great job. We can do a lot more. I think we can improve our numbers and become more unified, more organized."

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