TXST WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Over 2,800 elementary school students from San Marcos CISD, Hays CISD and Lockhart ISD packed Strahan Arena to cheer on the Texas State Bobcats in the annual Kids Day Game.
Head Coach Zenarae Antoine recognized the importance of having the students from the community attend the game knowing the influence her team brings.
“The impact that it has on the community is greater than any impact it should have on the game,” Antoine said. “I think it’s just amazing how it started with Don [Coryell]. He started bringing in the kids game, and it’s just grown under Lucas Westbrook, who is our ticket manager. To see all the students there from three different ISDs, some of these students who may never go to a major sporting event in their life for the next couple years. So to be able to bring them in as a reward and something fun to do [is wonderful].”
Antoine also stressed the importance of connecting Texas State with the local communities that surround the university and thanked the people who made the event possible.
“I’m really thankful that our community has come together and we’re working with the superintendents to make this happen for our community specifically,” Antoine said. “We know that we’ve got a lot of underrepresented groups so it’s important to give them a touch with the university. Maybe some people don’t feel this way, but I do feel athletics is the fun side of your collegiate experience or your experience at higher education. So this is a really good touch with our local community.”
The annual Kids Day Game is a staple event for the Texas State Women’s Basketball team, having started in the mid 2010s.
This year’s game added a new wrinkle to the event as each of the elementary schools invited to the game was tasked with designing shooting shirts for both the players and the support staff. “Abigail Whitling, women’s basketball operation assistant AD, had an idea,” Antoine said. “As they were working through all the logistics, the idea was, ‘Why don’t we have certain schools design the shooting shirts for the student athletes and the right support staff?’ So she made it happen to be honest with you. We did a big reveal and it was a lot of fun.”
By adding the shooting shirts, the connection between the team and the community continues to build strong ties.
“The same thing that I’m telling you now that you already know, is that we represent this community,” Antonie said. “It’s really important that [the schools] understand how special they are to us, so to wear the shooting shirt, and a lot of [the players] are genuinely happy and excited to be able to represent the area. I promise you, you’ll be seeing those shirts around campus.”
