A few days ago, a friend of mine asked me, upon learning I was going to a UCSD women’s soccer game, if we had a good team.

I gave him my best, “”You must be stupid or kidding me”” look, but he just responded with a hapless shrug of his shoulders.

I told him that the team won the national championship last year, and that it is No. 1 in the nation this year. I wondered how he could not know this stuff.

But then I thought, “”How would he know this stuff?”” He, like most people at UCSD, doesn’t attend UCSD sporting events.

This apathetic trend toward UCSD sports disturbs me. I hear all the time how UCSD isn’t a big sports school, and how much better sporting events are at other schools.

Here’s a heads up for all the people who want the same sporting experience as say UCLA: Try actually going to athletic events. Take a group of friends, grab some drinks and food, and spend an hour or two watching our women’s soccer team kick ass, or watching our men’s water polo team dominate.

What else do you have to do? Sit in your room IMing your friends all night, complaining that UCSD has no night life?

Try leaving your precious computers and watching a UCSD sporting event. They can be lots of fun. Yell at the referees, scream at the opposing players or just go nuts.

For all those who went last year, remember Spirit Night? Remember the stands jam-packed with students from every college, the excitement of the fans, the excessive partying that took place before, after and during the game?

Every basketball game could be like that. Every soccer game could be like that. Every baseball game could be like that. Every UCSD athletic event could be like that. It’s like that at other schools, but it’s up to the students.

It could be so easy, too. Our games are free to attend. Don’t have enough money to get into that frat party? Grab your friends and take them to the game instead.

It’s also a great way to meet people. Go with your whole floor, or your entire apartment building. For all those alcoholics out there, if you’re smart enough, it would be very easy to bring a little liquid courage and celebrate each goal, basket, run, whatever. Just don’t be stupid enough to get caught.

A lot of people say that since our program isn’t Division I, it’s hard to get excited about UCSD sports. That’s bull. There are many smaller colleges that still have great sporting event atmospheres. At Chico State, a smaller college than UCSD located up in northern California, people barbecue and party just past the center field wall.

So stop making excuses, take a break from the books, grab a group of friends, invite that cute girl or guy that lives on your floor and check out a UCSD sporting event.

And I’ll tell you what: As more and more people start going to the games, as opposing schools begin to dread UCSD fans, as Triton teams begin to gain more supports from the fans and universities, Division I might not be so far away. Imagine having games against top Division I sports schools.

There’s one other reason you should go to athletic events: Not only can our sports teams be fun to watch — they’re good too.