H-Zou-O cheers on swim and dive team
Students held a tailgate before Saturday's meet.
Published Oct. 20, 2008
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H-Zou-O members Andrew Magana and Mitch Case hold signs supporting the Missouri swim and dive team Saturday. H-Zou-O, which also includes a base of parent and alumni support, hopes to raise the prominence of Missouri swimming and diving programs on a national level.
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Seniors Andrew Magana and Zach Baucom and sophomore Amy Chenault cheer on the Missouri swim and dive team during the Show-Me Showdown on Saturday at the Mizzou Aquatics Center. Prior to the meet, the newly formed swimming student section H-Zou-O held a tailgate in the Virginia Avenue Garage.
Freshman Kelly Goldthorpe missed the team atmosphere she experienced as senior captain of her high school swimming team. So when she saw a man in a black polo that read "Swimming and Diving" in Plaza 900 earlier this year, she immediately approached him, asking about a student cheering section.
Coach Brian Hoffer told Goldthorpe that while there was no swim cheer section, they were trying to get one off the ground.
H-Zou-O, the new swimming student section, formed in time for the season's first competition. The Show-Me Showdown pitted the Missouri team against several other Missouri colleges and universities. Goldthorpe worked with senior captain Kendra Melnychuk and sophomore Andrew Magana to put the student section together.
Melnychuk knows firsthand how important a strong support system can be, she said.
"I know swimming requires so much adrenaline, so much excitement," Melnychuk, who dives for MU, said. "The team swims so much better when they are really pumped up."
The students created a Facebook group, distributed fliers throughout campus and downtown and organized a tailgate before Saturday's meet.
"Now more than ever swimming's been in the spotlight, especially because of the Beijing Olympics," Goldthorpe said. "Why not now?"
The student section of H-Zou-O is part of a larger network of parents and alumni that goes by the same name. H-Zou-O has big goals for the MU swimming and diving program, including funds for a director of swimming and diving position as well as underwater training equipment, such as video cameras. The director would oversee all aspects of the swimming and diving program, including finances and alumni relations. In addition, H-Zou-O hopes to add more national meets to the team's schedule. H-Zou-O is still working on sponsors and fundraisers to help the group reach their goals.
The H-Zou-O tailgaters, made up of high school swimmers, sports fans and parents, gathered atop the Virginia Avenue Garage before walking over to the Student Recreation Complex.
"People were able to network and get to know other swimmers," Goldthorpe said.
The group distributed free T-shirts to those who came out to support the men and women's swimming and diving team for the 11 a.m. meet. Fans cheered as MU dominated the invitational, often sweeping first, second and third in their heats.
"It helps having people in the stands, knowing you have people behind you supporting you," Melnychuk said. Magana and others held signs reading "Get Loud" and "Quiet for the Start" and kept the crowd engaged.
The team will need that support when they race the Kansas team at 2 p.m. on Nov. 1.
"We're definitely looking forward to Kansas," Goldthorpe said. "Well, because they are Kansas."
