Support from peers can be the push a team needs between winning and losing a game. However, the Prairie High School student section seems to lack participation during matches this year, especially when it comes to cheering on their girl’s volleyball team. The players and the students both agree the enthusiasm could be better, and that change is needed.
Themes, chants, and props should be enough to get a crowd excited about a sports game, but not for Prairie. The Fall 2023 season had a major decrease in spirit and pride for their teams, with fewer people showing up to games than in previous years. Many students have noticed this change and have formed their opinions about it, with disappointment about the outcome of the ‘hype’. The decrease is particularly noticeable for the volleyball team, and the efforts to increase excitement haven’t been as effective as they could be.
When the crowd isn’t loud and energetic, it can be felt on and off the court. The Volleyball players notice when less people show up to their games, and this can affect everyone in the gym’s energy. “I feel like last year’s student sections were way more spirited and supportive than this year. I don’t think as many people even show up because they find our games boring, or don’t even know they’re happening,” Senior Captain Maddy Moore said, regarding the drop in attendance at her team’s games.
Students agree that something needs to be different in the student section in order for the games to be more enjoyable to be at. Leading the student section becomes increasingly more difficult as well when you only have a few cards to play to get people chanting with you. “I think we need to have more engaging chants, and inclusive things for people to be more a part of as a group,” Senior student section leader Nate Merritt said.
This effort to improve Prairie’s support and involvement with their athletics needs to be made as a group, in order to have the inclusivity students are hoping for. Identifying which area the spirit is lacking in and taking examples from previous years’ student sections at volleyball games may be the key to permanently improving Prairie pride and the participation of cheering for all sports.
