The student section. For most, a staple, almost weekly, event for most high school students that represents the competitive spirit, rivalry, and supporting their school’s team.

At Kelly Walsh High School, there is always some extra excitement thanks to the student section theme that changes every game. But, does having a new theme every game increase school spirit, or should students simply wear school colors?

Student section themes have been a common practice within Kelly Walsh for the last few years. Students enjoy themes like pink out, senior citizens, and construction. These themes give students the opportunity to break away from the norm of school colors and Kelly Walsh T-shirts.

“I believe that wearing different themes at school sports is a great way to encourage students to show up, and show up excited,” Garrett Peterson, a senior, said. “There are so many different Kelly Walsh shirts and jackets we could wear, the whole student section would never match.”

Peterson expressed his concern with the idea of just wearing school colors because of the variability in shades and style. He believes it would look messy and unorganized.

When comparing Kelly Walsh’s student section to a major university like the University of Wyoming’s, there are some differences. Most notably, Wyoming’s student section does not have themes for games. They wear school colors. This seems to be a common theme among major universities across the country. These universities do not seem to have issues with clashing shades or styles because they have been wearing school colors for decades. 

Some students are not as passionate when it comes to themes. “I don’t think we appreciate our school colors enough,” Sam Lore, a senior, said. “If we stray away from wearing our school colors proudly, we aren’t doing a good job of showing school spirit.”

Lore makes the argument that by students choosing themes for every game and not wearing primarily school colors, they are showing less school spirit and the meaning of the school colors is lost. 

Student section themes are a major part of the school spirit culture at Kelly Walsh athletics, and may never go away. While just wearing school colors may be easier and simpler, students seem to love the alternating themes. These themes keep students showing up excited and ready to cheer loud for their team.