Blazer Nation Grows as a Student Organization

By: Maegan Green

If you ever have a chance to go to a Hood home game, you might see a crowd of energetic, spirited college students in a section of the bleachers cheering at the top of their lungs.  That is Blazer Nation.

Blazer Nation is a student organization unlike any other on campus. They thrive on school spirit, and their mission is to represent and build upon the support of Hood athletics.

This organization was started nearly four years ago by Chris Gallo.  “He wanted there to be a bigger fan section for games, so he got the idea to start an organization that would bring students together for sporting events,” said Ashley Nokes, president of Blazer Nation.

“To be in Blazer Nation essentially means that you support this college’s student athletes. You cheer them on at sporting events and you believe in their success,” said Nokes.

One way to become a member of Blazer Nation is to join their Facebook page.  This is a place for Hood sports fans to come and share ideas for how to show team spirit and spread the news about the latest sporting events.  There are 167 members and counting on this page. This is the best way for group members to keep in touch because there are no required meetings.

“It is not very time-consuming, because essentially our meetings are the games,” said Nokes.  “I communicate with members on Facebook and encourage any member that has ideas to contact me there or to email me. I am very open to ideas.”

Kaitlin Hughes is the vice-president of this organization and Emily Wilson is in charge of publicity.

This organization also strives to support Hood sports teams at away games.  Sometimes, they arrange transportation for Blazer fans who want to support their team on the road.

Currently, the group is trying to arrange for a bus trip from Hood to Salisbury for the basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 15.  If you would like to join this group and lend your support, you can sign-up or post it in a thread on the Facebook page.

Nokes says that the most rewarding thing about being a member of Blazer Nation is “being able to watch your fellow peers win that big CAC game or hit a 3 pointer at the buzzer. It’s about being in the moment even if you aren’t in the game.”