When the Boston University women’s basketball team entered Case Gymnasium to warm up for its game against the University of Hartford yesterday, The Roof may have been the loudest it ever has been. But the rowdiness was not necessarily directed toward the game, a rematch of last year’s America East championship: That’s just how kids get when they’re excited.
More than 1,400 students and teachers from 18 different inner-city Boston Public Schools came to cheer on the Terriers as part of the Second Annual Snapple School Day. The day aimed to teach the kids how to incorporate exercise, nutrition and overall fitness into their daily lives.
“I’m happy to be a part of what BU is trying to do and not just promoting our team,” said BU coach Kelly Greenberg. “I had a couple teachers tell me that having them on your campus and being a part of this is such an experience and something the kids will remember forever.”
The Terriers and the staff tried to tailor the day for their younger crowd. For the 11 a.m. weekday game, the regular sounds of the BU Pep Band were replaced by speakers blasting Justin Timberlake and Shakira. They even made the sections more kid-friendly, replacing the numbers with the names of the star Terriers.
Led by the BU public address announcer, the kids filled the hour before tip off with chants of “GO BU” and sing-a-longs like “Shout” as the teams warmed up.
“It’s a great atmosphere to play in, and we love having them here,” said freshman Aly Hinton.
The team may be focused during the game, but BU players definitely heard the youngsters during warm ups. Sophomore Christine Kinneary couldn’t help but mouth the words as she participated in a passing drill, and junior tri-captain Cheri Raffo even did a little dance as she went through a layup line.
“This is great for the kids,” said Kirsten Kele, a teacher at Neighborhood John D. O’Bryant. “This is their only time they get to let loose and belt their heads off.”
The pre-game festivities also included The Rope Burners, a local competitive jump rope team, that was brought in to entertain and show that exercise can be fun.
“I really enjoyed the double dutch,” said Ladonna Black, 15, from Neighborhood John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science. “I do it all the time, so it was cool to see those kids do it.”
The jump ropers weren’t the only surprise for the kids, as they were also treated to a visit from former Boston Celtic all-star, Dana Barros. Barros, now the head of the Boston Recreational Department, spoke at halftime on the importance of participating in after-school activities, even if they’re not basketball.
“Whatever you choose to do, always remember you have the ability to do it,” Barros said. “You’re hearing that from a 5-foot-9 basketball player.”
The main course of both exercise education and entertainment came from the Terriers. And though they may have lost to Hartford, 57-42, their small fans could still be heard loud and clear until the final buzzer. They even waited up to a half hour after the game for select Terriers’ autographs.
Rachel Helas, an 11-year-old student from HL Higginson School, brought a homemade “GO TERRIERS” sign to the game, which then became a souvenir after getting every player’s John Hancock.
“My favorite part of the game was cheering and dancing,” Helas said.
The Terriers look to have a better performance in their next home game Sunday against UMBC. But they couldn’t have asked for a better performance from their fans on Wednesday.