Albany Student Voice

Homecoming for some Albany State students is about partying, tailgating, or even the homecoming game but for others, it's all about getting everyone "crunk." These students are members of an Albany State group called The Crunk Squad Herchel Willoughby, a senior business management and marketing major and founder of The Crunk Squad, said the idea came to him in spring 2006.

He said he didn't like the name "spirit squad" and wanted to revamp it with a word from the new era of ASU students. Suddenly the name came to him. "We wanted to 'crunk' the morale of ASU," he said. "That's why we called it 'The Crunk Squad." The Crunk Squad is composed of 47 members. They also practice 8:30-10:30 p.m. every Wednesday from and are required to attend every football game.

Willoughby said The Crunk Squad has gone beyond simply chanting at football games, they also uplift students at various campus events. Although The Crunk Squad is starting to warm the hearts of ASU students, Willoughby said there are still people who tell them to "shut up and sit down." But The Crunk Squad has a response for those people, "we don't sit down, you stand up!"

Members of The Crunk Squad not only think of each other as members of a squad, but also as a family. "It brings us together as a family, it's hard to put into words because it's so much fun," said Briana Chaney a freshman early childhood major. Cherise Turner, a freshman forensic science major said, "It's nice to enjoy the game with friends and cheer on the team at the same time."

Wiloughby said the process is coming along slowly but students are starting to chant and sing along with the squad, which is the ultimate goal. "I believe our campus is as good as any other school, so as long as we bleed blue and gold, we will continue to uplift the spirit of ASU."

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