By Cal State Long Beach students should be on the lookout – there have been hundreds of maniacs roaming campus since the 49ers basketball season started.
They blend in during the day, disguised as typical students. But come game time, they cover themselves in black and gold, flock to the Walter Pyramid and relentlessly scream at the tops of their lungs.
The Maniacs are an energetic, student-athletics fan group that does its best to electrify CSULB sporting events and inspire student athletes with undying school spirit.
At basketball games especially, the Maniacs’ force can be heard as they wildly chant, “We bleed the black and gold” and perform a synchronized wave.
The Maniacs first made an appearance at CSULB in 2007, shortly after the arrival of the men’s basketball coach, Dan Monson. Originally, the group was called the Monson Maniacs, but the coach’s last name was dropped in 2010 to broaden the Maniacs’ support for the athletics department. The Maniacs were originally created in an effort to increase home game attendance.
From the creation of instructional YouTube videos informing members how to dress for games to creating new chants and better ways to make the Maniacs a more cohesive unit, Alexis Rockwell, a junior business marketing major, tries to get students excited and interested in the group.
“[The basketball team] has formed a deep connection with the Maniacs,” Kyle Richardson, a forward for the LBSU basketball team, said.
While out on the court, Richardson said the Maniacs influence the game from start to finish.
“[When the Maniacs] cheer us on, opponents get intimidated and even miss free throws,” Richardson said.
Richardson credits the Maniacs for helping the basketball team win games last season against University of California, Santa Barbara and Cal State Fullerton.
Todd Greenbaum, a sports management graduate student and marketing assistant in charge of the Maniacs, said the goal for this year is to reach 1,500 student sign-ups for the Maniacs. Rockwell is one Maniac leader helping with outreach.
Rockwell first joined the Maniacs in her freshman year and became more involved with the group last year. She said there are currently 1,000 students who have signed up and that the Maniacs want to go to other CSULB sports teams’ games to cheer them on too.
“[The Maniacs] is what you think of when you think of college,” Rockwell said. “It’s a way to show your school pride, and you get the aspect of being a part of a team. It’s a different experience outside of anything else in college.”
The “asylum,” the Maniacs’ designated seating area, has been relocated to optimize their impact on the 49ers and the opposing team. The area is now located on the south side of the court.
Cameron Luther, a senior criminal justice major, first joined the group in spring 2011 after transferring from his community college.
“I became a Maniac because being a part of the student body, cheering for your fellow classmates to do their best on the court, is an awesome experience,” Luther said. “It was extremely apparent during the game against North Carolina just how big of an impact our students have at our basketball games. Our team kept its spirits high and the energy flowing to make it a close game.”
Luther said that the experience of being a Maniac lasts a lifetime.
“I would recommend others to become Maniacs because the relationship you build with your fellow classmates in the stands and the players on the court can’t be taken away,” Luther said. “We’re Maniacs for life.”
Students can sign up to be a Maniac online at monsonmaniacs.com or in person at the Beach Pride center in the University Student Union or at the box office.