When you hear Gonzaga, what are the key words or ideals that come to mind? You may think about an eagle, or you may think about the color purple, but for me when I hear Gonzaga, I think brotherhood.
Once you come to Gonzaga and experience it first hand, it becomes the cliche answer, but as a senior about to embark on a completely new journey, the brotherhood is going to be my biggest takeaway.
For me, it started before my freshman year. I took part in the Gonzaga soccer summer camp going into seventh and eighth grade, as well as freshman year. Here is where I fell in love with Eye Street. The brotherhood displayed from the counselors and current players blew me away. I thought it was so cool, and as a prospective student, that is when I knew Gonzaga was something I wanted to be a part of.
This brotherhood continued and evolved from my time as a camper to my time as a counselor. Last summer, I worked with several other current players, and there the brotherhood grew exponentially. We were finally the ones who the campers looked up to, and this experience of being a leader, while also spending time with my friends, really solidified that brotherhood for me around the camp experience.
Now, being on the field with your boys is just one way in which the brotherhood around Gonzaga blossomed for me. Although covid played a key role in limiting these opportunities, simply being in the student section cheering on my friends and peers is another way in which the brotherhood continues to grow. The energy around Gonzaga on a big game day, and the pride in our school is what makes Gonzaga so special to me. Rallying behind a cause, and following the lead of the booster club is what fosters this brotherhood and is what makes sporting events so electrifying.
Finally, for me, the brotherhood goes beyond just the sports field. In reality, it’s seen every day inside the classroom and is on display any time in which the school is able to come together. Events such as homecoming and prom, as well as Gonzagafest, an event which I had the honor of leading, are all times in which Gonzaga students of all ages are able to come together.
Homecoming and prom are events at Gonzaga that are staples and are always done right. They are times when everyone puts aside their other worries—whether relating to school or sports— and enjoys nights of community with their fellow brothers. Compared to other schools, the energy around these staples, and the drama that surrounds them is just different. Gonzaga is home to a diverse group of people in which everyone has a home, thus creating a loving environment where everyone can come together.
Gonzagafest, an event which has a special place in my heart, is another display of the true brotherhood on Eye Street. People come together around events and activities in special ways outside of the classroom and rally behind Gonzaga at the end of the day at the Gonzaga pep rally, which has followed up a day already filled with community and brotherhood.
This brotherhood is not always something that I have been able to recognize and be a part of. During my first couple of years at Gonzaga, while covid played a key role in this, I was not fully involved here on Eye Street. I played high level soccer, and often I missed the big events that were talked about for weeks on campus. I missed out on a huge aspect of this brotherhood, and it is something that I wish I could take back. This year, my senior year, I have been able to take it all in as my college decision has been made for a while, and life is coming to an end for me. I can say now I have an increased sense of pride for this school, and I am able to walk across the stage at graduation and be proud of myself and the type of people I’ve surrounded myself with.
If I could go back in time, soaking up this brotherhood is something that I would have done so much sooner. I almost wish I could go back in time and change things, but that is something that I can’t do. However, if I was an accepted eighth grader coming to Gonzaga, I would get my calendar out now and circle those big days on Eye Street and take a step back and recognize the brotherhood each and every day, as this is what so many alums take away from their four years at Gonzaga, and it carries them through the rest of their lives.