Football, volleyball, basketball, and baseball are cornerstones of great athletic departments at the high school level, but all of those sports are nothing without the roar of the fans. Whether it’s the pros, college, or even a small high school, the energy of the student section is what makes each game unique.

At Williston, the roar in the bleachers has become a key part to our culture. Each yell and crowd burst adds to the pride of the students and the success for the teams.

School spirit has been around since schools started having real sports teams, but the love of watching others compete can be traced back to the competitive nature of the Romans and Greeks. Roman gladiatorial games first took place in 264 BCE, starting the spectacle of watching others compete for pleasure; the first Olympic games took place in Athens, Greece in April 6-15, 1896, watched by about 60,000 people, according to Britannica. While the love for competition and sports has been on the rise, the way people watch sports has changed drastically: more fans are watching from the comfort of their own home than ever before.

Olympics.com stated that five billion people kept tabs on the Olympic games, and 743,000 people on average watch the games. A news article posted by The Current said that digital live sports viewing will rise by 21% by 2027, to 127.4 million. Fans, it’s clear, are sticking to their screens

Williston has boasted many key games in the first few weeks of the athletic calendar, including the Whiteout game against Tabor Academy, and the Blackout soccer match against Mount St. Charles, both of which drew huge student sections. Crowds like these are powerful for school spirit, and also add a huge moral boost to the players.

There are many ways each team can bring out a better turnout. Atticus Snow, a defensive end and varsity starter for the football team, said “I need a real mascot at the game,” which might bring out true school culture. Williston has a wildcat mascot costume, although it is only at events on rare occasions. If the mascot was out at every game, it could better serve as a symbol of culture and pride, and potentially draw in more fans.

This can also be said about cheerleading. The reason Williston doesn’t have cheerleading because it is a rule across all prep school teams, nobody is allowed to have cheerleaders. Dean Ruksnaitis, the starting center for the football team, said that “Cheerleaders would definitely add to the school spirit.”

While cheerleaders may not be an option due to NEPSAC rules, there are still several ways we can strengthen school spirit. Pep rallies, themed student sections, school dances, homecoming, all can bring our community together and keep the energy high throughout the school year.

AJ Tanihaha, a junior basketball player at Williston, feels we need to “have more school parties for school spirit.” He believes social events can connect athletes and fans off the field. These parties can add to the connections students feel towards the players, leading to louder and bigger turnouts at each game.