Letter to the sports desk

UCLA volleyball thanks The Den

At an attempt for clarity and brevity, I will just come out and
say it: On behalf of the men’s volleyball team, I thank the
dedicated and enthusiastic fans that are known to us as the
distinguished members of the “True Blue Crew” or
officially, “The Den.”

Somewhere between last year’s 16-15 record and this
year’s rebound to make a run at a national championship, fans
who don’t share our DNA actually began to attend our matches.
It began with just four or five True Blue affiliates who felt it
was their obligation to attend as many UCLA events as humanly
possible. The bug seemed to spread as these fans convinced their
peers to join the fun and excitement.

When it was all said and done, the UCLA men’s volleyball
team had a substantial student fan base led by the gregarious Den.
One particular Saturday night in Santa Barbara, the True Blue Crew
dominated the venue with heckles and chants that resonated through
UCSB’s Robertson Gym while giving entertainment and
encouragement to their Bruins.

The enthusiasm was unparalleled by any school we faced. It is
true that other schools may draw larger crowds, but the True Blue
Crew was an established presence in Pauley Pavilion that enhanced
every aspect of the experience. Through witty heckling and timely
chants, the True Blue became a force to be reckoned with. As an
athlete, it is a fantastic feeling to look up and see that our
enthusiasm for our sport is shared by our peers.

In years past, our daunting home court was so silent that the
sound of Pauley’s air conditioning vents drew the attention
of both athletes and fans. Thanks to the True Blue, men’s
volleyball has been considered a “sport that is so exciting
to watch and so fan-friendly,” according to Gilbert
Quiñonez in his column “BYU’s slippage through
NCAA loopholes hits volleyball hard” (Sports, April 9).

In another column, “Bruin sports (and readers) deserve
fair coverage” (Sports, March 1), Quiñonez also
contended that his “favorite UCLA sport to attend in person
isn’t basketball or football. It’s men’s
volleyball, because it’s fast-paced, the crowd is lively, and
the way volleyball is set up in college, every point is
exciting.”

The environment described by the Daily Bruin must be credited to
the True Blue Crew. Your involvement helped make Pauley Pavilion a
hostile and exciting home court.

As fifth-year seniors, we have seen our program win a national
championship, have the worst season in UCLA history, and regain its
status as a national powerhouse. The atmosphere that the Bruin Den
created in Pauley Pavilion is one that this year’s seniors
have never before experienced and will fondly remember.

Chris Peña, J.T. Wenger UCLA men’s volleyball
seniors

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