As a bystander to many of the questionable decisions made at SHS, I have felt a great amount of confusion. I feel confusion towards a number of things including staff and students. But most of all, I feel confusion towards what I may be missing that hinders my understanding of the pedestal that football and basketball players are put on at SHS.

The number of clubs, sports teams and participatory activities that are available to the students at SHS is a number many take for granted. There is such a large number of sports and extracurriculars worth celebrating, yet I find myself noticing there are two main activities that are given much more glorification over others.

Three times a year, students at SHS are mandated to attend a pep rally that introduces the sports of the season. Almost the entire student body attends, most because they are made to. At these celebrations, football players and basketball players are displayed alongside other athletes to show their involvement in a specific sport. At this event there is no displaying of activities not involving athletic abilities. All three years I have attended SHS there has not been one pep rally that introduces students involved with the green earth society, or the speech team, or theatre etc. It may be time that not only basketball and football players are highly celebrated, but intellectual and artistic abilities along with smaller sports such as tennis and golf are as well.

Although there are other sports teams celebrated, there is still a feeling given off that the only reason we as students are meant to be at pep rallies is for the football team and the basketball team. I notice every year the groups that are cheered for the loudest are those two teams. Is this because students are not aware of the importance of other activities? Not only should sports teams other than football and basketball be celebrated, but other activities that may not even involve athletics should be as well.

School spirit is a well known idea throughout high schools all over America. The idea of school spirit is being proud of and celebrating the school in which you attend. To me, this spirit and support is supposed to be extended to all parts of the school, not just football and basketball. I feel as though school spirit should be spread equally amongst all activities. Many athletic teams such as golf, tennis, and soccer are rarely celebrated and endorsed by the school. As a student at SHS I don’t feel like some activities are given as much support as others.

Both football and basketball have positive sides to them. Physical health, teamwork and beneficial effects on schoolwork are all positive qualities that come with the sports. All of the positives that come with the sport are for the individual, but for the masses of people, it is pure entertainment.

Where confusion comes back into play is the negative parts of the two sports that society values. Is beating another person down or only being successful if you are better than another group something that should be endorsed and promoted so highly? Are these values something that should be so highlighted at SHS? Or should intellect, service and artistic abilities be celebrated equally if not more?