BY INGRID MALDONADO
If there was one thing every town, every college campus, every church and every person should have, it would be a supportive community.
The Lady Rangers recently won the 2026 Great American Conference Championship, which was a milestone not only for the team but for the university and the town of Alva. It was in everyday conversations, praising the team and being excited. It showed how great the community in Alva is.
Not only were the Lady Rangers succeeding in their season but so were the high school lady’s basketball team, the Ladybugs. They went to compete at state and they had a lot of support from the community.
When the Lady Rangers went to compete nationally, the Rialto Theatre hosted a watch party so anyone in the community could come to watch and support them. All that support can really impact a team’s morale, which can then provide confidence in their playing.
According to Psychology Today, community provides belonging, support, identity, reduces stress and isolation. All of these can impact the quality of life. If someone is dealing with a stressful situation, it is important to have people they can depend on.
While it is easy to show the importance of community, it can be hard to build one and actually rely on others. Life is fast paced and everyone wants to achieve success towards their goals and careers, but many heavily rely on independence rather than seeking support from others and building a community.
Many people have busy lifestyles that can stop them from creating a community and building relationships. Others have been hurt in the past and have a hard time trusting so they believe the only person they can rely on is themselves.
There are ideas that people believe that stops them from building a community. For example, they should focus on themselves, they have to succeed in everything, they don’t need to worry about anyone else, and they are never going to be good enough.
Those beliefs stop communities from flourishing. People are social creatures and should have others they can depend on and rely on. If someone likes to read, joining a book club would be a great way to build ones community. If someone likes to bike, find those people to join on a bike ride.
Sometimes, building a community often means meeting someone randomly who then introduces the person to more people and being able to be receptive of them. It is okay to be fearful of meeting other people, but it is more important to face fear and potentially meet amazing people.