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No problem at all.
Two hours before UW-La Crosse’s game against UW-Eau Claire on Saturday at Winona State University’s Maxwell Field, a group of Eagles parents were already settled into the corner of a nearby parking lot with a supply of food and beverages.
They were joined by other groups of parents, students and others who fired up grills and made themselves at home in Winona. The L-Club also provided fan buses, and 1,783 people, including about 300 on the Eau Claire side, found their way to the game.
The Eagles drew 1,587 fans to their first game in Winona on Sept. 6, a 24-23 loss to Hardin-Simmons.
“This isn’t an extra inconvenience,” said Dale Schulz of Evansville, Wis., father of UW-L guard Kyle Schulz. “As parents, we enjoy each other’s company. We’re all fans of our kids.”
Schulz came to the game with his wife, Beth, and tailgated with Scott and Chris Olejniczak, parents of guard Jason Olejniczak, Greg Olejniczak, Jason’s uncle, Larry Donoval, father of tailback Eric Donoval, and Al Gebel, father of center Andrew Gebel.
Many of them flew to California in September for the game at Azusa Pacific and made the drive to North Dakota. Last season a contingent went down to Abilene, Texas for the opener.
“I wish for the seniors that they’d been able to play their last year in La Crosse,” Dale Schulz said. “But this is a nice alternative.”
