Spectator Spectacles

From guys in funny hats to sports lovers who dress up in costume for women’s volleyball games, UCLA inspires its own kind of fanatics. We celebrate their support and salute some of the more imaginative Bruin die-hards.

Frank Cardenas

Copyright © Photo by Diana Koenigsberg

The Centrists

There are 18 Olympic Sport Support Groups on campus, ranging from baseball to water polo, and each one is fiercely dedicated to its sport. Among the most enthusiastic is the women's basketball team's Center Court Club, whose 40 active members attend all home games in Pauley Pavilion and also travel to the Pac-10 Tournament in San Jose, Calif.

Frank Cardenas and his sister, Louisa Cardenas '74, have been loyal members of the Center Court Club for the past several years and are, in fact, staunch supporters of all women's sports. "What we try to do is get people to join Center Court Club," Frank says. "Get the information out; inform them as to what we do. There are other Pac-10 teams, such as the Oregon schools, whose clubs have around 8,000 members."

Membership in the club ranges from Bruin Circle ($200–$299) to Coach's Circle ($1,200–plus) and includes admission to games and invitations to team events. Last year, Frank—who is general manager of Casa Vega restaurant in Sherman Oaks, Calif.—designed T-shirts as a fund-raiser. He'll make more for the Pac-10 tournament.

"I wish there were more people who realize how important women's sports are, especially in terms of role modeling for young women," says Louisa, who retired from UCLA's Facilities Management department in 1993. "It's great to see the little girls come out and realize they can excel in a sport."

The club's efforts have paid off with at least one young woman. "When I first came here, Frank already knew a lot about me," says senior guard Noelle Quinn. "As a freshman, just having people who are so loving, kind and family-oriented really helped me to realize that I'm at a great place."

Tony Ker

Copyright © Photo by Diana Koenigsberg

The Jolly Giants

Imagine an extremely tall bunch of guys dressed up as characters from The Wizard of Oz: Dorothy, Toto, the Tin Man, Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion … and three 6'8" Munchkins waving giant lollipops. If you were at the UCLA women's volleyball team's 2005 playoff game against the University of Kansas, you wouldn't have to imagine. You'd have been treated to the bizarre sight of Dorothy and gang, also known as the UCLA men's volleyball team, dressed in costume in support of their female compatriots.

"Ryan Ratelle was Dorothy, and he looked exactly like her," says junior Tony Ker, who plays libero on the men's team. "It was scary how much he could have passed for a girl. He even wore red women's underwear."

Women's Head Coach Andy Banachowski '68 appreciates having the support of other athletes at his team's matches. "The men's volleyball team has been our best fans for the past few years," he says. "They make it a fun event by dressing up in a particular 'theme' and coming to cheer the team on."

What it means to be a Bruin fan

This YouTube video says it all.

Before each women's game, Ker, the ringleader of the group, consults with a few teammates to decide how they'll dress. Past successes have included dressing up as huskies when the women played Washington, and having 6'9" sophomore Sean O'Malley dress up as a tree when the women played Stanford.

"During a break between games, we 'cut' Sean down," Ker says. "A couple of us had axes and we were like, 'Whack, whack!' And then he fell over. It was really funny."

Published Apr 1, 2007 8:00 AM