At least a half hour before each home basketball game, the members of 54th Airborne head over to Hagan Arena to start up the student section. The atmosphere is filled with nostalgic and upbeat music as chatter and chants between fans and players grow. 

54th Airborne, the official student section of SJU Athletics, has been leading the student section at St. Joe’s since it was founded in 2010. Made up of students from all grades, the club leads the student section through games both on and off campus.

John Henry Walters ’25 has attended St. Joe’s basketball games since his first year on campus. Now, as a senior, he is in his second year as president of 54th Airborne, embracing the “overpowering” energy the student section brings to St. Joe’s athletics, especially basketball. 

“The school spirit and pride just takes over everyone for this hour and a half,” Walters said, 

That spirit takes the form of classic fan enthusiasm — high fives, fist bumps and enthusiastic cheers — in addition to the establishment of brand-new traditions. After Walters wore a construction worker costume for a Halloween-themed student section last season, hard hats have become a student section staple.

“This year we’re trying to get some funding for more hard hats so we can hand them out before the games. The goal is having a sea of hard hats,” Walters said. 

 54th Airborne has also shown up for away games. Walters said his favorite away game was the men’s basketball victory at Villanova in fall 2023.  

“Seeing how much pride everyone was having and us winning, and all the alumni coming up after the game, saying, ‘Oh, you guys did such a great job. I’m Class of ’97’ or ‘I can’t wait to see you guys at the other games.’ It was a cool thing to be able to connect with older people, while also our own grades, and have such a connection to the school,” Walters said.

Forming connections and meeting new people is the best part of 54th Airborne, said Surya Vaddadi ’27, who has been a member of 54th Airborne since last fall.

“It was just the tradition of getting together to go watch a game, not worry about other stuff, that was my favorite part last season,” Vaddadi said.

James Kemp ’27 joined the club through the email list and got more involved after going to more games. 

“I started going to games with my friends, and I would sit in the student section and some of the leaders, like JH [Walters], would talk to me, and they had their yellow hard hats on. It was all really cool,” Kemp said.

Kemp said the camaraderie extends to students and athletes at the basketball games.

“That’s what’s cool about going to a smaller school, a lot of the players can recognize who we are. I’m sure they don’t know our names, they recognize us as the guys who sit in the front cheering really loud,’ Kemp said. “After every game, all the players and the coaches come by, and they shake our hands and talk to us as they’re going to the locker room.” 

54th Airborne also helps hand out food and giveaways during games. At last year’s men’s basketball Big 5 game, they distributed red and white streamers, big heads of the players and cut outs of the Hawk throughout the student section. The athletic department helps provide props. 

54th Airborne also cohesively plans out chants and rollouts, which are long, hand-drawn banners stretching across the student section, prior to games. The rollouts often feature messages aimed at the opposing team, and are brainstormed by members and approved by SJU Athletics.

These traditions bring students together, said member Aidan Driscoll ’25, who said he is excited for what this season will bring.

“I think it will be a special year, not just for basketball. The field hockey team is amazing, and our athletics are one of the most underrated parts of our campus,” Driscoll said. “I love when I get there and there are people that I wouldn’t necessarily expect to see at the games, or someone who comes up to me and is like, ‘Oh, this is my first game.’ It’s always a great way for people to connect and enjoy the game.”

Walters said the overall goal of 54th Airborne is to connect the student body with all of St. Joe’s athletics.

“We go to the other games as well, like soccer, rugby, field hockey,” Walters said. “We’re trying to get more visibility, to not only go to the men’s and women’s basketball games, but also the other things on campus and showing that we’re more than a one-sport school.”