Two years ago, SF State's athletic department took a big financial hit after most of its funding was cut when SF State was forced to make budget cuts.

Since then, the department has looked ahead to a promising future that continues to integrate sports and students.

According to SF State Athletic Director Michael Simpson, after the $1.4 million grant from the CSU system went to academics – a decision made by President Robert Corrigan – drastic changes had to be made. The athletic department was forced to cut five teams and issue pay cuts to eight coaches in the 2004-2005 school year.

Since then, the athletic department has been on a slow, yet steady, climb back to where it once was, with more than just the 11 teams it now has to offer.

“The students are helping, which is encouraging,” Simpson said.

Simpson said the extra money students are now required to pay will hopefully, in five years, bring the athletic budget back to its original number of $1.4 million.

Kristen Para, president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), said there has been an increase in attendance at soccer games, and she is positive in the outlook of where the year is heading.

Jamil Sheared, the SAAC spirit coordinator, said he has been working on getting freshmen to the games.

"A lot of them don't know where the field is, so I've been going to the dorms, putting posters up, anything to let them know what's going on athletically," Sheared said.

He said the biggest obstacle remains the budget.

Some athletes don’t feel appreciated on a campus of more than 28,000 students, while others realize that the busy lives of SF State students, who juggle work and school, can get in the way of school spirit.

“To me, my family and friends in the stands- that’s enough for me,” 21-year-old Matt Pedersen, who has played soccer for three years, said. “I appreciate that I am able to play at all.”

Simpson said one has to look at the on-campus residency statistics compared to other schools.

“Compared to other teams in our division, our attendance is right there with the rest of them, except for Chico State and Cal State Bakersfield, where one has a residency level that is much higher than ours and the other is going to Division I,” Simpson said.

Students who attend games mostly have a connection to one or more of the players.

“I definitely wouldn’t be coming to these games if my friends weren’t playing,” Mai-Tien Nguyen, 20, said, referring to her friends on the women’s soccer team. “I’m just too busy and, don’t tell them, but not a huge fan of soccer.”

With winter sports only a month away from starting practices, it is yet to be seen if the growth of connection among students and athletes will continue.

"I have a positive outlook on this year," Jamil Sheared said.