In 2014, RMHS was voted the best student section in the state by 10,000 votes, but seniors this year have found the school spirit a bit lackluster.

As a senior myself, I look back with nostalgia at games where seniors had their whole faces painted, and it was almost impossible to get a spot in the tunnel after a game, win or loss.

There are three basic schools of thought as to why the student section isn’t as good this year. First, there are some saying that it’s on the freshmen, who aren’t as committed to school spirit. Second would be that seniors are dropping the ball, and don’t have as much fire as their predecessors. The third is that the student section is just overall less positive than it used to be.

As for freshmen, they aren’t as loud or energetic as upperclassmen, that much is undeniably true. However, I remember the first few games I attended, sitting in the top of the stands because I wasn’t comfortable. But over time, we all moved down, because the other Lobos were welcoming us to the crowd. “It’s about making them feel comfortable with where they are,” said senior Hunter Crawford.

It’s easy to say that the section is lacking energy because spirit leaders aren’t doing their job, but that’s a cop out. The spirit leaders do their best, but it takes more than four or five people to get the section pumped. Senior Anthony Botti said, “I feel like the seniors need to show the rest of the school how we do it at Rocky.” It’s the job of all the seniors, even all the upperclassmen, to go crazy and set a precedent for school spirit. At the Rocky v Poudre and  Rocky v Fossil football games the student section went all out with the game themes (camo out and frat, respectively). However, in the past, some seniors took it upon themselves to go above and beyond the theme.

“At the (Rocky v Poudre game) there was booing from our side and name calling and just general rudeness from the student section,” commented senior Maya Swanson. Before last season, you would never hear booing from the Lobo side of the stands. Swanson suggested that the student section needs to use more positive cheers to subdue the negativity. Beyond that, the student section has been hesitant with supporting our team via cheering during the alma mater and the tunnel, despite a loss. It takes a student leader, whoever it may be, to show encouragement to everyone else to get loud, even if they are bummed out by a tough game.

No matter why you think the student section has less energy than in years past, it is the responsibility of every student to go crazy. So, I call out to my fellow Lobos (especially my fellow senior Lobos) to show what kind of student section we really are–that is, the best! Encourage freshmen to participate, go long with your energy and spirit gear, and show positive support of not only your fellow Lobos, but your competitors across the board.

And, don’t forget to dress up for spirit days this week!