There are many possible explanations for our school’s lack of spirit. We have no boarding students, and the student body commutes from 95 different towns across New England. Geographically, we are not designed for large crowds at every weekend game.
Still, we have a definite school spirit problem. Take Friday Knight Lights, for example. On a Friday night, when no one has homework due the next day and everyone is already on campus, visiting teams bring fan sections that rival the size of our own. Our athletics program could benefit from more united school support, but how do we achieve this? We propose a remedy: a culture of support across both sports and arts.
There is an apparent divide between the arts and athletics at school. It’s not that every student needs to participate in both, which would be nearly impossible given the structure of the athletics requirement, but all students would benefit from supporting the other. If athletes want a better turnout at their games, they should offer the support they want to the arts. If students in the arts want more seats filled at their performances, they should consider cheering on their classmates on the field.
For those who argue that they simply do not have time to support their peers, we’re here to help. Take a look at the fall sports and arts schedules. Each fall sport has games one to three times a week. Friday Knight Lights takes place almost every week, and Homecoming is an entire weekend dedicated to celebrating the athletes. Pick any day. There is most likely a game you can attend.
On the other hand, the fall play rehearses all trimester for four performances in mid-November during Mud Week, giving athletes the perfect opportunity to support their peers and watch the play. Even if you cannot attend the performances this fall, have no fear; there is also a winter musical, a spring play, and various student-run shows throughout the year.
The bottom line is that we are one school, so let’s act like it. Our peers accomplish so much. We should celebrate each other when we can.
