Students need to show respect at sporting events

Students at Big Spring have many sporting events that usually consist of a section for students watching, the players themselves, and of course other people welcomed into the crowd, and occasionally a band, mainly for football; these are the biggest events in high schools all over and a lot of people go, some people who need to check how much respect they have for certain things.

With the football season coming to an end, a lot of things came into the clear, like the trash in the bleachers after people leave. One moment there is a mere crowd of people enjoying a football game, the next, they are replaced with all the garbage they left over. It is not everyone who does it either.  The trash in the stands and thrown randomly around the field is indecent of anyone. The stadium is a very nice place Big Spring has; it is a shame to see it treated the way it is. People stay late and have to pick up the garbage. Yes, it is a part of their jobs, but there is no need to throw things wherever merely because someone else will pick it up. It is pitiful to see students of Big Spring treat it so poorly. It is not hard to pick up  garbage and to throw it away on the way out. The band does it, with shakos, stand tunes, instruments; other people with less things can do it too. 

Sports are a social event, but how social do they actually need to be? Students talk a lot during events happening on the field or gym floor. This happens a lot during halftime performances, whether it is the band, cheerleaders, or dance team. During football games everybody talks while the band performs, whether it is the home band or away band and no matter what time they perform. In the code of conduct for the school it states; “Respond with enthusiasm to the calls of the cheerleaders for yells in support of the team.” And “never cheer when the opposing cheerleaders are conducting a formal cheer.” The student section especially needs to pay attention to these factors. That also is not merely the cheerleaders, but it includes the band as well when they are performing. These are students of your own, your best friend, your own peers in your own classes, the least you can do is be quiet or cheer with them as the cheerleaders are cheering and when the band is performing. 

The really big thing that has come into the clear is the fact that all the things that the student section does is the total opposite of what the code of conduct says. The student section has booed and thrown things because of a wrong play or wrong call. They break several codes by this; “accept defeat or victory in the same spirit of good sportsmanship”, “acquaint the community with the ideal of good sportsmanship and impress upon the community its responsibility for the exercise of self-control and fair play at all athletic contests.” The opposing argument here could be the fact that the call might not have been fair. However another rule says, “recognize that the good name of the school is more valuable than any game won by unfair play, or inappropriate, abusive remarks.” High school students do not realize that younger eyes are watching them and that those children will think that it is okay to boo and to throw things during sporting events. At the senior night football game, middle school band members were with the marching band playing stand tunes. Once the student section started booing, so did the middle school members, but upperclassmen and student leaders in the band had to yell at them to stop. It is not a good moral to teach younger children to have bad sportsmanship. 

To solve these issues at sporting events and to help the students realizes what respect at games really is; at least one adult should be in the student section. They do not have to be cheering with the students, but merely make sure they follow the code of conduct of sporting events. Make sure people or the student section do not throw trash, boo, shout absurd things about the referees. The student section cannot complain about games no longer being fun without booing and such, and an added adult to supervise. They can still enjoy the game, because the band has all of those every single football game; at least two adults, not throwing trash, not booing; they enjoy every game just as much as everyone else. Every time someone goes to a sporting event, think about the players, the coaches, the people who stay after to clean up the gym or field; and think about how merely picking up trash can go a long way.