Taylor University silent night basketball tradition is so cool

Many prominent high school athletes are drawn to the big lights of Division I schools. They seek scholarships and a chance to play for national championships. Perhaps a chance to turn professional is on their minds, plus in today's world of sports, a chance to make a lot of money through NIL deals.Other athletes play ball at smaller schools. No scholarships. No NIL money. No frills. Just the love of the game is what spurs them on. When no major colleges came knocking on my door over 50 years ago (with good reason, I might add) it was off to Hiram College. There I played basketball and baseball... for the love of the game.I have no problem with the athletes that want to excel and benefit from their sport on the big stage. Nor do I have a problem with those who just enjoy the game and want nothing more than to be a part of the action. Both situations can be very rewarding.When I saw recently that Taylor University in Upland, Indiana played it's 27th annual Silent Night Basketball game I was mesmerized. The tradition is so "small" school and heart warming.It came about in the 1990's when basketball coaches brainstormed ideas to increase attendance to their games (I can understand that as I played many an athletic contest before a sparse gathering of fans). At Taylor it morphed into a wild and crazy event that is both wholesome and endearing. If you did not see a video of the Silent Night game on ESPN or the evening news, get online and search for it as it's worth the look.The event takes place at the home game on Friday evening before finals and Christmas break. It is a sell out. Students and professors fill the gym dressed in costumes. This year you could find several students dressed as Buzz Lightyear, mimes, minions, bananas and ears of corn. Yes, you heard that right. There was even a group of coeds wearing Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever jersey #22.The students arrive two hours before tip off and the air is festive. But when the ball is tossed into the air they all become quiet. The tradition dictates that they remain silent until the Taylor Trojans score their 10th point of the game. Then all, well you know, breaks lose. The game is stopped because the crowd will erupt and storm the court.It is a controlled storming (more or less) as the opposing team knows it is coming. No technical foul is called, instead a TV timeout is arranged. The rest of the game is more normal as the crowd roots on the Trojans, that is until the last two minutes. With little time remaining, the students sway in the stands singing Silent Night.The game is followed by an all campus Christmas Party sponsored by the university.There is a reason that groups of students dress alike. During timeouts they provide the entertainment. One such group played a game of duck, duck, goose. The Caitlin Clark jersey wearers took to the court with a basketball and threw a few passes before one of them launched a three pointer. Of course it went in much to the delight of all.It is an evening where students and faculty alike can regroup have some fun and get ready for final exams. The basketball team seems to like playing in front of a huge crowd. The Trojans record in Silent Night games is 26-1!When I was in college Hiram had some traditions. One was to have what we called a Campus Day each quarter. Classes would be canceled and some fun group activities for the entire campus community would be planned. On an evening during the middle of the week, the next day would be announced as Campus Day and students would begin celebrating.The announcement came about 8 p.m. in the evening, but by then everyone already knew it. With so many groups being involved in the next day's activities word always leaked out. Whether you knew early or not, the anticipation of the tradition was inspiring. The chance to relax and have some fun before getting back to the main reason you were in college in the first place was always appreciated.Hiram's tradition may not match Taylor's or the Iowa Wave, but it is nonetheless welcomed and worthy. Every school has their traditions and most are very cool. Here's hoping others, such as flag planting, quickly die out.After taking umbrage with the behavior of athletes and coaches in the last two weeks, it is nice to write something positive on these pages. As a former athlete, coach and fan of sports there is so much good that can come from athletic participation. Life values, teamwork, self sacrifice and ethics are the cornerstones of athletic competition.Sometimes those things get lost in today's fast paced world of sports. Thanks to the tradition of the Silent Night game at Taylor University, we may get back to the proper perspective.