After a year of few opportunities for the student section to support their teams, the Flock is back. Fans were allowed back in the stands when sports started this school year, and athletes are noticing the difference.

     “Feels good to have a student section,” said sophomore Ava Pickens. 

     Part of the high school journey is the freshman-year experience of participating in school activities and developing school spirit. Due to COVID-19 regulations, last school year, all players were allowed a set number of tickets to give to friends and family to get into the games, so most of last year’s freshmen didn’t have the opportunity to experience a typical student section with The Flock.

     As COVID-19 safety precautions eased up this school year, Pickens and other sophomores were able to get the full experience of being part of the Flock for the first time as high schoolers. 

     “I started going to games this year, and it was really fun,” sophomore Adam Miller said. “So I think I would have had fun last year too.” 

     It’s not always easy for athletes to play in front of a crowd of their peers.

     “The student section makes me nervous but, If we win a point, they get hype, and then that makes us feel good,” Pickens, who plays volleyball, said. “I feel like I play better, and having them there makes me feel better.” 

     Sophomore football player Collin Boldridge agreed and said the Flock helps athletes get pumped up, and he sees them as family who always has his back no matter what.

     “The defense chant is really popular,” Boldridge said. “Defense always does better when that happens, and it gets the adrenaline going.”

     While chants are a big part of the student section, there are more factors that go into it.      

     “I think we are loud and bring a lot of energy every single game, every single time,” Miller said.         

     Assistant principal Kevin Kooi said the Flock is passionate, exciting and supportive of the teams, and he is happy to see representation of the kind of student body the school has. 

     “I wanted to soak up every opportunity out of high school, so it’s exciting to see what we would term normalcy,” assistant principal Kevin Kooi said.   

     The student section often has themes, such as white out, U.S.A., Hawaiian and Christmas. Kooi said his favorite theme at the football games this year was purple out, because he likes themes “with a purpose.” The Flock wore alumni Trent Boone’s favorite color –  purple –  to honor him after he died from cancer.

     “Games, school events, are for the kids,” Kooi said. 

     Kooi and the Flock are glad to be back in their rightful place – the stands of every home game.