By: Ryanna Lui
School spirit among MHS students regarding sports has been gradually declining over the past forty years, Athletics Director Jeff Lamb said. Unlike the past, school sports now require proper marketing to attract an audience, he said.
One major reason for this trend is the growth of modern day activities that take time away from watching sports, Lamb said. The multitude of options increase exponentially with the urbanization of the Bay Area, Lamb continued.
“When I went to high school, social life revolved around the high school,” Lamb said. “Friday night football games and basketball games were always a big thing. It used to be Friday night football games. There were a lot of people who were never there to watch the game, [but] I think for a lot of people, if they knew their friends were going, they would also go. Because that’s a place to hang out.”
In a school as culturally diverse as MHS, academics are more likely to be prioritized over sports, Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach Champ Wrencher said. However, sports should become more prominent as the descendants of immigrants understand its contribution to school pride, Wrencher added.
“This is a school with a high immigrant population. [For] people coming from that background, either new immigrants, first generation, or second generation Americans, school activities just aren’t viral. School is for academics,” Wrencher said. “Nobody wants to see us play Wilcox and basketball, because they haven’t been there that long. They don’t know it’s a big event, and that will have to change when the kids of the kids start going to school here. And then they’ll understand how important it is.”
Student unawareness may also be another factor for low audience turnout, Junior Varsity Wrestler Vivek Chotai said. The average spectator at any wrestling game is typically an ex-wrestler, a MHS alumni, or a parent, Chotai said.
“I think a lot of people like watching [wrestling], but not so many people are really aware of the sport, or it’s not really that popular,” Chotai said. “But if they did then they probably would come.”
The lack of student support can be discouraging to athletes, Varsity Girls Soccer Halfback Isabella Vieyra said. Unfortunately, this behavior is also expected because she has grown accustomed to it, she continued.
“Usually at our games, we have parents come, and then occasionally, a few teachers. That’s about it.” Vieyra said. “Usually around twenty [parents].”
The basketball team occasionally feels strong bursts of school spirit, as they did at the white shirt basketball game, where attendees wearing white shirts could obtain spirit points for their graduation class, Boys Basketball Point Guard Ryan Harper said. Audience presence and verbal cheers immediately boost the sports teams’ morale, Harper continued.
“The crowd gets us hyped up whenever we start making our shots and stuff,” Harper commented. “Whenever you make a shot or something and then the crowd just goes wild, it just gives you a good feeling.”
Most school sports games, such as wrestling and soccer, are free to watch. Basketball games are free with an Associated Student Body (ASB) card, $3 for high schoolers or children under 12 years old, and $6 for adults, Wrencher said.
