When you think of high school student sections, the words that come to mind would be obnoxious, loud, spirited, tradition, lively and of course, energetic. But recently it hasn’t felt that way.
Unfortunately, the Waterloo West High student section has been lackluster and underwhelming compared to past years, with last year starting a downward trend, with the student sections at every event being more lousy and vacant than they ever were. The student section is slowly dying, and the enthusiasm and school spirit are also spiraling in the wrong direction.
However, the student section shows up and shows out for big rivalry games like Cedar Falls, Columbus and East, bringing in around 40 plus students. Seeing our student section with that many people has helped us not only pull off two wins but also put up a fight against the number one-ranked Cedar Falls.
Many students had similar takes on why the student section is more packed for rivalry games. “Being closer together, more people will go,” and “there’s more tension building up to the game,” were just a few reasons students say the student section is better during rivalry games.
A major problem worth mentioning is the attendance difference between the boys’ and girls’ games. It has become clear that the girls’ team is being pushed to the side and disregarded. Now, why is this? Unless it is a cross-town rivalry like East, Cedar Falls, or Columbus, the boys and girls play opposite each other, meaning one is at home while the other plays against the same school, but away. If this is the case, there should be around the same number of girls’ home games as boys, so why is the attendance so different?
The question is, why don’t people attend…
In a survey sent out to the student body, a common reason for people not to attend events was simply that they were too busy. Students aren’t given a good enough reason to go out of their way to attend events. When asked what reason students have for not attending events, one student said
“It’s not as fun as it used to be.”
The student section has strayed away from the unity that was expressed in the past by not always having a theme, and few students participate in the theme when there is one.
In a girls’ basketball game against seventh-ranked Xavier, a group of under-15 students were present. An important game like this can come down to the smallest factors; the student section should be a factor in athletic events, giving our teams an advantage for being at home.
Another factor that has recently been implemented is students being required to show their student ID in order to enter the event. If students have poor attendance, detention, or major referrals, they will not be allowed to participate. For the second semester, students are now required to be in good academic standing.
Many students voiced their frustration with this new policy, claiming “the rules feel too harsh” and “Games are one of the few things that motivate students to show up and be part of the school community.”
Student sections are supposed to be an advantage for any high school sport, giving your school and your peers the advantage of having support. In a close enough game, the student section and atmosphere could be the deciding factor.
