The Sept. 11 attacks sparked many emotions and debates throughout the country and worldwide.

One such debate was waged inside closed door meetings of the athletic department at Eastern and at many other universities around the country.

Should schools continue to play sports?

The answer wasn’t as clear Wednesday, Sept. 12 as it became the following weekend.

“I think after seeing all that happened football really seemed irrelevant,” assistant athletic director for development John Smith said. “But at the same time we wanted to try to move and move forward. There was a mentality that we didn’t want to give the terrorists what they wanted.”

And so the debate waged for two days until interim President Lou Hencken, Rich McDuffie and officials at Illinois State considered their options and ultimately canceled the game in Bloomington-Normal.

Smith didn’t agree with that course of action initially.

“I switched my view,” he said. “I thought why should we let them terrorize our lives? Let’s play and let’s continue. But after the events started to unfold I swung the other way.”

The rest of Eastern’s athletic teams followed suit. The women’s soccer team canceled a trip to Hawaii and both the volleyball and men’s soccer teams canceled games and matches that were to be held that weekend.

Almost every other college and university in the country did the same.

“There was definitely a follow-the-leader type of trend going on,” Smith said. “We saw what other schools were doing and that played a role in our decision.”

But after a week, the athletes returned.

There may have been a sense of purpose instilled in the Panther athletes. The football team went on to win the Ohio Valley Conference title, the volleyball team took the league tourney and the women’s soccer team also won the conference and an NCAA berth.

Flags were etched on football helmets after the attacks and special tributes were held before the start of the first games.

“It was really something to see when athletics came back,” Smith said. “There was really a great emphasis placed on music and on the star spangled banner. I think everyone got caught up in it.”

High school sports continued uninterrupted throughout the week.

“Colleges are more recognized nationally whereas high schools are known at a local level,” Smith said. “I wouldn’t criticize high school teams and the few colleges that did play. I really think those who did play did a really good job of playing as a tribute.”

Many in the athletic department believe there is still a strong passion to play in memory of the lives that were lost.

“I think there would’ve been a baseball strike if Sept. 11 didn’t happen,” said assistant athletic director for sports info/marketing Dave Kidwell. “I think there’s a sense of normalcy again. Fans go out to games and cheer just as loud and long as they did before. Whether that’s a good thing or not, I don’t know.”