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6 KANSAN.COM
DEREK SKILLETT
@DEREK_SKILLETT
The glory. The power. The history. The legends. The titles. The tradition. These are the words that flash across the video board before tipoff at a Kansas men's basketball game. Words that incite the students at Allen Fieldhouse to explode into decibel-shattering cheers. Students who spend hours before the start of the game camping get the opportunity to be a part of one of the greatest student sections in college basketball.
since its establishment during the Larry Brown era in the 1980s, students
camping for basketball games has become an increasingly popular tradition at the University. The lottery and camping system has helped create an organized way for students to get involved in forming one of the best home-court advantages in the country.
"It's definitely more popular today. Back when I first started, sometimes I would be the only person at lottery. That never happens now," Pacey said. "It's definitely gotten a lot easier for the groups with the online stuff. It's definitely gotten bigger."
Mark Pacey, a graduate student from Manhattan, has been camping for basketball games since he was a sophomore in 2003.
Dylan Klohr, a junior from Overland Park, is a part of the camping leadership team. He said he started camping when he was a freshman.
"I was invited by a couple of my friends to camp," Klohr said. "Being at KU and having basketball games is a big part of what KU is about."
Klohr took over camping near the middle of Kansas conference schedule of games. He said while there are other organized camping groups around the country, there is something special about Kansas that makes its camping system unique.
"It has a lot of history behind it. Just being at the place where basketball
started, having history is everything," Klohr said. "Our history is what makes it unique. It's part of what makes KU basketball as fun as it is. Lining up all week, going to lottery, it proves
homecoming," Pacey said. "That's pretty big."
of the best environments for college basketball. It gives the students freedom to participate in one of the top programs in college basketball. Eventually, camping could even be seen
Klohr echoed these sentiments.
"It is one of the best known traditions in regards to KU basketball." Klohr
"It has a lot of history behind it. Just being at the place where basketball started, having history is everything,"
— DYLAN KLOHR, JUNIOR FROM OVERLAND PARK
the interest of the students that they're proud of their program."
Pacey said he believes basketball camping has become a University tradition.
"I'd say we have about as much participation as
said. "I was told all the way in junior high school that camping was going on at KU. My parents used to talk to me about how camping happened back in the '80s."
There is little doubt that camping out for basketball games has helped create one
as akin to waving the wheat and the "Rock Chalk" chant as one of the top traditions of a University built on tradition.
For any questions or concerns about camping, go to the group's website at www.kucamping.com.