What Happens When Ricks College Becomes BYU-Idaho and Dissolves Their Sports Program?

For over 20 years, and throughout my entire childhood, my dad was on the coaching staff of just about every sport at the Mormon-Church owned Ricks College. Most of my conscious childhood he was the assistant coach of the sport he loved the most...basketball. Every winter, I spent school nights and weekend nights heading to The Hart Building to support my dad's team, The Vikings. My mom always sat in the corner section, while me and my sisters roamed the bleachers, begged for change for the vending machine, intermittently watched the games, always stuck around for half-time shows, and generally ran wild and free while the Vikings strutted their stuff for their loyal fans.

When I was old enough to actually attend Ricks College, I would often be at The Hart Building where athletes were practicing hours every day, and where my dad taught classes and had his office. As a Mormon Bishop of a student ward, and a professor at a church college, I heard him called a variety of names as he wandered the halls of The Hart Building: Coach!, Brother Anderson, Bishop, and Hoser (that might have just been me).

And if I wasn't supporting my dad as a coach, I was cheering on my two brothers, little sister, and two amazon sisters-in-law who played for the Vikings basketball team and spent half their Ricks College years in the Hart Building.

Then in the early 2000's, Ricks College morphed from a two-year Junior College to the four-year BYU-Idaho, and with the name change came the extermination of every organized sports program. Gone were late night basketball games, National Championships, and bouncing balls through the halls of The Hart Building.

So imagine my surprise when I discovered this delightful video made by current students at BYU-Idaho. The first song (of 3?) is wandering throughout the halls of my own Hart Building. Gone are the jocks and amazon women who melted older brothers hearts.

The jock in me says: "Dude, this is a school of fairies now!"

The girl in me says: "That was cute"

The mother in me says: "If Rainbow Girl sees this too many times she might want to go to my alma mater because it looks like a bee-bopper high school musical"

So tell me, what do you think?

Comments

Heather February 16, 2011
Ad's sister showed me this a few weeks ago. It's pretty cool, and a massive amount of school cooperation, but it still mystifies me why they'd get rid of sports when they became a "more-real" school. Fun video, but I see your point with Rainbow Girl. :-D
Anonymous February 17, 2011
What a great post. Couldn't get the video to work--have to try later. Wondered what you were doing during the games.
Rands Family February 17, 2011
What a great video. My 4 year old said this " but mommy they didn't live happily ever after". Thanks for sharing.
cozy February 17, 2011
Wow! That makes ME want to go there! What a fun video. Maybe Rainbow Girl and I could be roommates in the windy city. :) Thanks for the pick me up, Mrs. O!
Lee Family February 17, 2011
So many guys in skinny jeans - was this queer eye for the straight guy? j/k. Okay - so creative and happy and so many people and I thought it was cool if you took away the leaping through the Hart buiding and the classroom where we used to do the "cycle" BUT I am a sucker for those "high school musical" performances though. Give me a ballad, some longing eyes, a twirl and a
Kimberly T. February 17, 2011
Wow, Ricks/BYU-I has fallen so far. lol Cute video, but yes I miss the old days when you could stroll through the Hart to check out the hot jocks. (Not that I ever did that, of course) :)
Advent Creative February 17, 2011
Love this. I wanna go back to school, maybe there ;-) Have a good day.
Anonymous February 18, 2011
I'd already seen the video (way fun) but what I liked best were the reminisences of the old days at 'the College.' I watched all the Andersons play in the Hart Building, so I'm claiming fame by association.
Monica February 21, 2011
What a bunch of punks! Do you remember growing up how big and old the "college kids" seemed? I miss the old days...but I'll admit that was a fun video.
jennaloha February 22, 2011
Hosers.

This would have been an awesome Rexburbia post, may she R.I.P.

What Happens When Ricks College Becomes BYU-Idaho and Dissolves Their Sports Program?

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