Krishen Gosine’s blood runs pure, UT orange.
With a little help from his friends, Gosine rallied a group of students to create and fund the first student section for the Lady Vols soccer team. Receiving encouragement from players and head coach Brian Pensky, Gosine formed the Regal Rowdies–aptly named after the team’s Regal Stadium– just in time for the fall 2014 season.
“I think that the University of Tennessee has a lot of pride and tradition,” Gosine, sophomore in biological sciences, said at the Lady Vols’ match against Alabama last Friday. “There’s a lot of foundation for student pride and just wearing the color orange.
“It has so much meaning.”
That same day, Gosine purchased his first official UT merchandise: a Lady Vols flag.
Whether it’s creating a student section, watching games or simply going to class, there’s no shortage of ways for students to sport their orange and white. In Big Orange Country, everything from bow ties to shot glasses comes in the signature shade.
Jake Watson, however, thinks the color orange is “ugly.” Still, that doesn’t prevent the junior in geography from showing his school spirit.
“I’m not a huge fan of our school colors,” Watson said, “but come sporting event time, I love to come out and wear the colors and scream at the other team and show my Vol pride.
“I love it here, but I disagree with the color.”
The hue didn’t seem to bother Gosine, who wore his new flag tied around his neck like a cape to last Friday’s game.
Mali Collins, senior in social work, grew up in the Knoxville area. She has always been surrounded by the school’s paraphernalia and emblems, whether it’s via bumper stickers on cars or hearing “Go Vols” before every parting during football season, but she never really developed a hardcore passion for the orange and white.
“Well my personal opinion is that I don’t care,” Collins said. “I like Knoxville and I live here, but I can’t say that I have this gung-ho school spirit, so (orange) is just another color.”
Having attended a few women’s soccer games, Collins attributes what little school spirit she has not to a specific athletic team, but a hobby.
“I’m just do it because it’s a fun pastime, not because I have this love for UT football specifically,” Collins said. “I don’t have any emotional attachments.”
Watson, however, believes wearing orange at an athletic event is crucial.
“It means being a part of a big community that really supports the school motto,” Watson said, “the school’s statement to pass the torch of knowledge to the community and everyone you meet.”
Gosine agreed, saying UT is a “rich, cultured SEC school” that promotes students’ “deep pride for their school.” Regardless of personal color preference, Gosine said “Vols are Vols, no matter what.”
“It’s kind of corny I guess,” Gosine said, “but it means a lot to me to wear orange and to be in an institution that not only has the academic recognition but also from a student body and student activities point.”
