“I fell in love with sports when I was about 9 years old. My dad left the TV on and it was LeBron James back when he was with the Cavs playing against the Utah Jazz. It was my first time sitting down to watch an NBA game and I only continued to watch because I fell in love with the way LeBron James played the game,” said Sicaly Sorrell, senior multimedia journalism major.

People at WSU and worldwide fall in love with sports daily. It is vital in everyday life and the personality of so many people, but every individual has their own story on why they love sports.

One sub-community within the confines of Pullman and WSU is that of Wazzu Sports Network. WSN is an affiliate of Cable 8, a student-run organization focusing on broadcast production. Students pitch their ideas for shows prior to the semester and then work on directing, producing and being the talent for those shows.

Evan Charney, junior communications major is an active participant in WSN. Charney is not only involved in WSN, but is also involved all throughout WSU in the athletic department.

Not only does he play club baseball, but he is also the club president. Charney said that falling in love with sports was easy, as it was a fun way to connect with other students and people in general.

“I’m currently a student assistant for the WSU baseball team. I’m involved in playing club baseball and ski racing for WSU. I’m also pursuing a career in sports, specifically baseball,” he said.

Being so involved with several different things to do with sports has created a lot of fond memories for Charney, but the one that stands out most came from last volleyball season.

“My favorite WSU sports memory was the WSU women’s volleyball Apple Cup last year, I’ve never seen Bohler Gym as packed as it was then,” he said.

Olivia Mayo, sophomore sports broadcasting major grew up around sports due to her dad being so involved with sports in their community.

“I fell in love with sports at a young age because I grew up in a basketball gym because my dad was a high school head coach. From there, I grew up playing basketball and watching basketball, football, baseball and golf with my dad,” Mayo said. 

It was also their way of bonding, something that Mayo said helped her fall in love with sports more. She said she also learned how much she loved to watch and learn about sports and specific players.

Being at WSU has helped her get experience in sports, as she said her favorite memory was getting to work the men’s basketball game against UCLA during the current season and getting to work alongside NBA legend Bill Walton.

Athletes are a common theme for finding a reason to love sports. Fans are enamored by the athletic abilities of the athletes and the personalities that they show. Just like how people have favorite famous actors or singers, having a favorite athlete is key to the enjoyment of sports.

Many fall in love with sports because they can both watch and participate in them, which is no different in Sorrell, who said she grew up playing multiple sports and still plays to this day.

“Ultimately it’s my competitive nature that makes me love sports. I played basketball, football, soccer and softball growing up with soccer and basketball being my favorite sports. I still play basketball whenever I have the time and play on soccer intramural teams,” she said.

Being at WSU has allowed students like Sorrell and Charney to keep being a part of a culture of people in love with sports. A large part of the student population engages with several different athletic departments on a daily basis and student-athletes are celebrities on campus.

“The students here are so passionate about the teams here so I love that aspect about it as well. My favorite memory was when I went to my first WSU women’s soccer game. The atmosphere was so electric and I just really love soccer,”Sorrell said.

People love sports all for their own individual reasons. But WSU is the place to be when someone loves sports and wants to be involved with sports on a daily basis.