How did you become a Shocker?

[martymoose]

Sorry, stealing this idea from another message board and want to see how it fares here. Vote on why you're a fan and feel free to share a story about it.

For me, my parents went to WSU. I followed the Shox a little...but not much. I think my parents took me to a total of 2 football games and maybe 1 basketball game. I started at WSU in '96 and started going to basketball and baseball games regularly right about that time. I expected we were going to lose most games and I remember losing some of the exhibition games as well. We were always in the first couple of rows of the student section and could show up to the games 5 minutes before the games started to get those "prime" seats...and if you got tired of standing you just moved up a couple of rows and sat. My kids aren't going to remember when they became Shocker fans, my 3 year old has already been to 50+ basketball and baseball games...my 9 year old and 5 year old are probably well in the 100's.

[molly jabali]

Moved here for work, adopted the Shockers pretty quickly...had season tickets for hoops for several years when my kids were not born/real little. Go when I can, but listen/watch all the time...

LOVED the football times!

[_kai_]

By the grace of God.

[martymoose]

Poll has been added.

[jdmee]

In my family we have my mom, my wife and me each with 2 degrees from WSU. My eldest sister, my middle sister and her husband each have 1 degree from WSU. My dad worked at WSU for around 25 years.

[GOSHOX1]

Parents had season tickets growing up, during the MTXE era. I had a friend who's parents had tickets that were fold up chairs on the floor under the basket!! I remember Ac getting elbowed in the face and sprawling on the floor right in front of us and needing stitches. What a view that was for a 10 year old!!

[ShockerEngineer]

Combination of my dad went to and graduated from WSU, I grew up in Wichita, and I have a bachelor's and master's from WSU.

[shockerofandover0943]

Grew up in Wichita, some of my family attended WSU. I didn't have the opportunity to attend WSU because I played baseball in college, and didn't receive interest from Mean Gene. I do plan on going to WSU for my Master's degree in the next few years.

[InGreggITrust]

Graduated in 2011. Met HC3G during one of his first games and he sold me on the program. Glad he did!

[WuShock16]

I paid attention to Shocker athletics a little bit as a kid, mainly for baseball CWS runs and a bit of the Randy era as I had relatives who knew Randy somewhat well. Once I decided to attend Wichita State, which was around the time MT arrived, I really started to lock in. I remember once thinking that it would be cool to watch a baseball powerhouse and that hopefully hoops could pick up a little bit. It is weird that it has totally flipped.

So yeah, I am proud of my alma mater, getting both my undergrad and grad degrees here. I always wondered what it would have been like to have been at a football school, but there is no way I would trade the experience I had at Wichita State.

[wufan]

Dad is an alum. Parents had floor seats from 77-82. I had three posters on my wall as a kid: Larry Bird, Xavier McDaniel, and Antoine Carr. I used to argue with my friends that X was better than Jordan. :stupid:

Went to 10 games a year from 91-97. Didn't go to WSU though as I had the opportunity to be a scholarship athlete at a lower level and entered a College that was top notch for my academic endeavors. I don't follow my Alma Mater's athletic program though.

[rjl]

My parents took me to basketball games when I was a kid. I remember watching X, Cliff, and Carr. I have no recollection of any of the games, but the players were mystical to me. Every time Xavier would dunk, the old Roundhouse scoreboard would blink "X-MAN!" in the yellow incadescent bulbs. I thought he was a superhero. Cliff came to one game after he graduated and was playing in the pros. I remember he was wearing an all white suit like the cool guys in the movies who had theme music when they walked. My mom gave me a program and a pen and I ran down and got his autograph. He probably signed hundreds of autographs that night. I imagined he remembered me the most.

In highschool I enjoyed drawing and math. I thought I wanted to be an aerospace engineer, so WSU was my only choice and I didn't apply to any other college. Two years in the AE program made me think I would rather have my balls pounded flat with a wooden mallet than continue in that field, so I changed majors. I was in a fraternity. I was involved. It tied me to WSU in ways I didn't understand at the time.

[Shock Therapy]

Grew up here and wanted to major in engineering, so WSU was a good fit. I graduated in 2000 but didn't follow the Shocks heavily until about 2002. I started out as a bandwagoner, but I've been obsessed for the last decade or so.

[TheDover1018]

Grew up in Andover and had family friends that would take me to games. First game I really remember was sitting in the top row of the Matt Brauer corner threes game with my dad and brother. Started attending WSU to get an Aerospace degree in 2010 and have one semester left of school!

[St. Teddy]

Followed them since the Stallworth era, even went to closed circuit games in Wilner Auditorium in those days. Became a student in '68 and remember camping out for season tickets, had season tickets in one form or another for probably 30 years.