Crowd experience > How participating in crowd activities affects sports Jillian McMullen Staff Writer would describe all sports as physical activity, but I wouldn't necessarily classify all physical activity as a sport. So, what’s the difference, then? Sports for me suggest a certain amount of crowd engagement. When athletes compete, there are spectators. It has a following, a culture. Likewise, I wouldn’t necessarily describe myself as a sports enthusiast. I'ma crippling introvert who mostly only leaves the house for school or work, so the aforementioned crowd I usually associate with sports makes me incredibly anxious. However, I recently attended a concert, which got me thinking about crowd affect. Collective effervescence is a sociological concept articulated by Emile Durkheim that links a community through a type of unconscious collective communication. As quoted in an article by Michael Serazio for Communication and Sport, according to Durkheim, “The very act of assembling is an exceptionally powerful stimulant. Once the individuals are assembled, their proximity generates a kind of electricity that quickly transports them to an extraordinary degree of exaltation... There are violent gestures, shouts, even howls, deafening noises of all sorts from all sides that intensify even more the state they express.” So, assembly generates stimulation. The more “violent gestures” and “howls” produced, the more a kind of quasi-religious chanting begins, which works to venerate the objects of the chanting—i.e. the athletes or sports teams. This establishes a hive-mind force amongst fans. In an admittedly more accessible article for the Atlantic, Serazio claims this unconscious group mind demonstrates a community's need cling to an established identity. Have you ever been in a crowd and felt a sense of unity and connectivity with your fellow fans? That’s exactly the effect described. Why else would you pay good money to attend a game live when you could easily just watch it from home, most likely with better views of the plays taking place via media coverage? You do it because you want to experience the energy of the crowd, the howling and chanting. Although it seems counterintuitive to most of what we're taught about personal thought, you go there because it is comforting to not have to think as an individual fora while. After all, it’s hard for an individual to be ostracized in a group of like-minded people. Back to ballin’ > Royals’ basketball please fans in home opener Davie Wong Sports Editor Wwe all the excitement of soccer and volleyball in the air, it’s easy to forget that basketball season is just around the corner. This weekend, that corner came and went in the form of week one of PACWEST basketball. For the Royals, this meant taking on the Langara Falcons in their home opener, and the Quest Kermodes the day after. Opening up the festivities was the women’s basketball team. The Royals, defending PACWEST champions, were the clear favourite in the matchup. But in the first quarter, it became very evident just why the Royals were favourites in the first place. A massive first quarter outing saw the Royals score 22, while limiting the Falcons to 4 points. The second was a bit better for the Falcons, but the Royals never let up. 42-12 at halftime pretty much summarized the match. A 16 point third quarter for the Royals was the nail in the coffin for the Falcons. A rotated squad out on the floor for the fourth quarter were outmatched by the Falcons, 15-10, but it was just a drop in the bucket as the Royals took the win 68-37. Rachel Beauchamp picked up right where she left off last year with a big 13 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double on the season. Simran Bir had 16 points on the night, and went 4-8 when shooting three’s. The ladies rout opened up for the men, who were looking for a big win of their own. The Royals men’s team were unstoppable to start the game, scoring 29 points in the first quarter alone. However, a strong second quarter from the Falcons helped bring the game closer at halftime, 46-45. Both squads came out a little flat- footed after halftime, the Royals a little less so. The Royals’ 24 points to the Falcons’ 16 extended their lead to 9 points. Down to the fourth, the Falcons really turned the jets on, racking up 28 points in the quarter. However, they Royals put up 26 of their own, and the 9 point lead was just enough to get them through, 97-89. In terms of stats, it was quite the game for the Royals starters. Quest transfer Noah DeRappard-Yuswack had a huge night with 26 point and 19 rebounds, earning himself a double- double. Reese Morris also had a double-double, scoring 14 and grabbing u rebounds. International transfer Kameron Johnson had 19 points in his debut for the Royals, and captain Grant Campbell was a big part of team’s win, putting up 15 of his own. Next up for both teams were the Quest Kermodes. Last year, both Quest teams struggled in the PACWEST. With a year of growth under their belt, they hoped to best the Royals. On the women’s side, an exciting first quarter got things rolling. 17 points from the Royals and 14 from the Kermodes indicated a tight game. Then, as if flipping a switch, the Royals turned on their defence. The team systemically squeezed points away from the WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL INSTITUTION CONF PTS DOUGLAS 9-1 18 VIU 7-1 14 UFV 5-3 10 COTR 4-4 8 CAPILANO 4-6 8 CBC 1-7 2 CAMOSUN 0-8 oO MEN’S VOLLEYBALL INSTITUTION CONF PTS CAPILANO 9-1 18 VIU 6-2 12 CAMOSUN 5-3 10 DOUGLAS 5-5 10 UFV 3-5 6 CBC 1-7 2 COTR 1-7 2 Kermodes each quarter. A massive second quarter saw the Royals taking 17 point lead into half time. The second half of the game was close, mostly due to the fantastic effort of Quest’s Kimmy Aburegeba, who ended with 25 of her teams 49 points. But the Royals were too efficient on the ball to lose. 72-49 was the final score. For the Royals, Nanaya Miki found her All-Star form, picking up her first double-double for the Royals since returning from her year-long break. She scored 14 and picked up 12. Rachel Beauchamp put up 20, and the women put away the weekend 2-0. For the men, their matchup meant a little more to a couple of players. Noah DeRappard-Yuswack and Paul Getz played their former team for the first time this season. A thrilling first quarter saw 46 points being scored and the via Douglas College Flickr Royals in the lead. Their performance carried into the second, where they outscored the Kermodes, 21-12 to extend their lead of the Kermodes to 15 points. Determined to get the result, the Kermodes came out strong in the third. But a weak fourth quarter performance allowed the Royals to put away the game, 79-64. The star of the game was substitute rookie Josiah Mastandrea, who put away 18 points in 18 minutes of play, going 6 for 10 on three’s. Grant Campbell had a 17 point performance, and Noah DeRappard-Yuswack picked up another double-double, grabbing 12 points and 13 rebounds. The weekend leaves both sides 2-0, and topside of the PACWEST. Next week, they travel to the islands to take on some stiff competition in the VIU Mariners and Camosun Chargers.