At a school with such competitive and successful sports teams, you would think attendance at sporting events would be at an all-time high. Unfortunately, due to the low publicity of these events, many people are left in the dark of what teams are playing and when.
“I think the home games are the most fun, but I don’t really hear much about them,” sophomore Sukie Stewart said.
Crowds play an enormous role in sporting events, whether they are supporting their team or trying to distract the opposing team.
“Crowds can improve performance in sports that involve strength, endurance or teams,” Hilary E. MacGregor said in an article based on data from the U.S. Olympic Committee Sport Psychology Registry. “They also can prove beneficial in events that go on long enough for an athlete to get really tired.”
In all sports it is easy for players to get fatigued. But according to the LA Times, a supportive crowd can give the players a little boost. Research done in Italy comparing the last two seasons of football to the last six seasons had an astonishing conclusion regarding how the players performed in the absence of cheering.
According to Cureus, as the attendance of supportive spectators fell, “the average percentage of points collected by teams in home matches dropped by 8%.” The lack of visitors and their spirits resulted in a noticeable decrease in the teams’ performances. This spirit, especially in a school setting, can prove to be highly beneficial.
“School spirit provides an opportunity for students to take pride in their school’s achievements, whether it’s academic excellence, athletic success, or artistic accomplishments. Celebrating these achievements with enthusiasm can be a motivating force, encouraging students to excel in their own endeavors.” said Marlene Soto. “School spirit can also play a crucial role in the emotional well-being of students. It helps combat feelings of isolation and loneliness by providing a sense of connection and shared identity.
Advertising for our school athletics not only benefits the school as a whole but helps boost school spirit. Spirit themes for games enable spectators to come together and showcase their support. Additionally, the spirit themes increase unity as a large portion of students come together under one collective theme. With new students coming to witness greatness in all sports, we stand to gain more athletes and grow together as a close-knit community.
According to NFHS, “School spirit is perhaps the defining difference between interscholastic and other levels of sports,” said Dr. Karrisa, “having pride in one’s school, maintaining a connection to the school and coaches for life, supporting all school teams and programs whether a participant or a fan, and contributing to the bond between school and community.”
To combat this problem, the school should make an effort to publicize better. This could include morning announcements dedicated solely to the games for that day, as well as more inclusive and consistent posting from the Oak Park athletics account on Instagram.
Additionally, growing OPHS athletic participation could improve participation. With more athletes come more supporters.
“Yes I agree, it brings the community together,” beach volleyball player, junior Erica Jeong said, “for team sports, we need all the support we can get as our headspace while playing is extremely important.”
OPHS has an incredible athletic program and it would be beneficial to expand home game advertising to help improve school spirit, allow more sports teams to flourish and potentially boost scores and performance in all athletics.
