At men’s soccer games, Art Chmielewski is impossible to miss. Dressed in bright orange attire, he brings a huge plastic drum to every game as well as a massive orange flag he brandishes with every play. According to his son, Marcus Chmielewski (senior), a forward on the men’s soccer team, Art Chmielewski starts chants in the crowd and gets the wave going, trying to make the experience better for everyone. Marcus Chmielewski said his father does his best to get the whole crowd involved, bringing vuvuzelas and cowbells for all the students. Art Chmielewski said he takes his spot under the announcing booth along with a host of other equally exuberant fans for every match. According to Art Chmielewski, these other super fans are also parents of children on the team.
“We have fans that have flown in from San Francisco or Georgia just to watch the games,” Art Chmielewski said.
When asked why he’s so passionate about the game, Art Chmielewski said that he grew up in Poland, and was an avid soccer player since youth and that he attended the University of Michigan, playing college soccer for the Michigan Wolverines. Art Chmielewski said he was a breakout star and was nominated as the player of the year when he was only a sophomore, but in his time in Poland and at the University of Michigan, his parents never came to his games.
“I sent [my parents] my full schedule, saying ‘Come out to my game!’ but they never showed up,” Art Chmielewski said.
According to Art Chmielewski, cheering on his son in person is the ultimate way to show his son he cares. Marcus Chmielewski said his dad has always been out supporting his endeavors with passion.
“There was a period of time between when I was younger to high school where we actually didn’t let him participate because he was too invested in the game,” Marcus Chmielewski said. “I just love that he’s there supporting me and supporting the team.”
Art Chmielewski said that the fans and the crowd are a major factor in the final score of the game. He cited a study that showed that teams with rowdy home crowds win 62 percent of home games and it’s undeniable that the crowd has a major impact on the field.
Marcus Chmielewski said that the team even calls his dad “the 12th player” because his support makes so much difference.
According to Sebastian Romero (senior), a defender on the team, said that many times they get more fans than the home team. Romero said that the loudest game he’s ever played in was last year’s playoff game against Pomona-Pitzer. Marcus Chmielewski said that the Pomona game was intense.
“We played a playoff game against Pomona, and it was a home game,” Romero said. “A lot of people were going crazy, just crazy atmosphere.”
Occidental won that game, and according to Art Chmielewski, around 2,000-3,000 fans showed up. Art Chmielewski said that men’s soccer games regularly draw crowds of 200-300 for regular season games.
“Every time we scored you could hear the echoes of the screams,” Marcus Chmielewski said. “No one likes to mess up a pass and hear the whole crowd laugh at you.”
Art Chmielewski said he comes up with new chants sometimes and does his best to make watching the soccer games more about being a fan rather than just sitting and watching.
“What my dad would really want is for people to come out and support the team,” Marcus Chmielewski said.
Men’s soccer plays their next home game tonight against Cal Lutheran at 7 pm.*
Contact August Mitchell at amitchell2@oxy.edu
