Those who attend sports events at Kennedy are aware of the student section, a dedicated spot in the bleachers for students to come and cheer on athletes. As a school, Kennedy comes together to support a variety of sports and activities.
They do it because their marching band practices countless hours to perform at halftime while the football team finally comes home after weeks away on the turf. Because the volleyball team pushes themselves across the court after months of training. No matter the sport, students follow.
Dressing up, making posters and cheering on the school in the school section is the biggest way students feel they can support their athletes.
At games, the student section is assigned different themes to coordinate in clothing and decorations. From pink-out games filled with monochrome clothing and face paint to Hawaiian games filled with Dad shirts and tropical sunglasses, the themes differ in uniqueness and creativity.
“With themes it allows people to have fun and express themselves within the themes,” junior Jordan Horne said.
Student section traditions not only consist of fun themes but also chants and cheers as well. Although cheers can differ by sport and activity the purpose stays the same.
“When the student section is at its peak “hypeness”, everyone feels alive and energetic, but when the crowd goes silent it feels too tense,” Horne said. “I think it helps ease the pressure and intensity of the game if everyone in the crowd is cheering.”
Cheering is an essential for any student section, however, volume and student attendance can differ according to the activity.
“The student section varies depending on what spot is currently going on,” Horne said. “Comparing football to volleyball, football feels like way more people are invested in being an actual student section, while at volleyball games there’s much less cheering, chants, and stuff like that.” The student section has a huge impact on the energy at the game. If the student section falls short it can have an impact on the team.
Traditions in the student section vary by activity and sport. Show choir has its own unique cheers and traditions compared to a football game.
“Cheers are a lot more customized to show choir and their groups of Happiness and Protege,” junior Reagin Christensen said.
Despite the difference in cheers, the student body finds a way to support each other.
For outsiders, the dedicated student section is just another way Kennedy cheers on its teams at games. But for students, it’s how they help their teams bring home yet another victory in the community.
“My favorite part about the student section is just everyone being with each other and supporting our teams no matter if they win or lose the game,” Horne said. “It’s really encouraging.”
As the weather changes and sports seasons come to an end or transition into their first practices, students here at Kennedy will continue to unite and celebrate their teams all the way from basketball to show choir.
“What makes the student sections so special is the numbers we get, the students participating helps motivate our teams and I feed off that energy, bring it to the crowd and try to match it,” Kennedy Athletic Director Shawn Thomsen said.
At MVC contests, referees turn in forms rating fans and judges behavior. Over the years, Kennedy’s student section has made it the top school in a variety of sports and that’s what is most important. It’s about the students showing commitment and pride in their community throughout their time at Kennedy.
“Like [principal Jason Kline] and I have said before, it’s a great way to celebrate what we’ve accomplished as a school,” Thomsen said. “There are times where we’ll win the sportsmanship trophy from the MVC, and it brings everybody together while at the same time giving a preview for what’s to come in that upcoming season.”
