noellepick

The student section is packed shoulder-to-shoulder, the bleachers rumble from stomping feet, gigantic cutouts of players’ heads are proudly displayed, and the crowd is dressed like frat boys.

Marian students come from far and wide to support their school during state tournaments, even if it is the day before final exams. State games are crazy, fun, and often the most attended games of the season, regardless of the sport. The scene is very different during regular season games.

School spirit is something Marian prides itself on, but the student section tells a different story. Often, very few students other than cheerleaders and dance team members attend home games.  How can we tote around the Sportsmanship Award but not attend more than one game per season? For an institution that celebrates school spirit for an entire week in April, we have disappointing attendance at school-sponsored activities.

Imagine if every event had the attendance of a finals round or championship game.  Not only would players be encouraged to compete at their highest level, but the students sandwiched in the bleachers would also make the best memories “forming the banana” and swinging different colored T-shirts in the air.

Marian’s Student Board has realized this, and in an effort to increase attendance, has implemented the system of BOSS (Building Our School Spirit) points. Not only do BOSS Points have a direct effect on Field Day’s Color Block, but they also increase school spirit and affect our teams’ performances. According to Eamonn Brennan, an ESPN Staff Writer, a supportive and cheerful student section can positively affect a team’s success rate.

From this information, it can be assumed that the more successful the team is during the regular season, the more likely it is that it will continue onto a post-season tournament. This means there will be more games for students to attend and cheer at!

Other school-sponsored activities deserve some love too. Many students are not aware that other wildly successful activities also host their own BOSS point events. For example, the Speech Team puts on an annual Speech Showcase in the Performing Arts Center where students can come to watch speeches put on by the team.

If students would like to know when BOSS point events are coming up, there is a poster located on the second floor landing of the middle staircase.  This poster includes the date and time of upcoming events, and can be easily accessed during the school day.

Ladies, let’s break out the blue face paint and get ready to rumble! The school year has just begun, and there are countless games and activities that await our attendance. Let’s show our sisters some love and support. This is our chance to show everyone who’s BOSS.