The Student Section

                In every sports contest there are plenty of fans that come and watch. Then there is the student section. They are very loud, rowdy, and are screaming at the top of their lungs the whole entire game. Some of the things they do are just to support their team, and some of it is to get into the heads of the other team. Laura Ulrich writes an article on dealing with the students at high schools harassing other teams with body paint or signs, and talks about how alcohol may be the cause of this.

                This is a big problem that high school administrators and athletic directors have to deal with at their games. Many schools have policies that the students must abide by or they will be kicked out of the game. They also have a drinking policy which is not allowed at the tailgates.

                I think this problem is something that can be solved very easily. The first thing you need to deal with is the drinking at the tailgates of high school games.  No student in high school is 21 and old enough to drink, so it shouldn’t happen, but it does. All high school facilities should have a policy where there is absolutely no alcohol allowed on its grounds. Even the parents shouldn’t be allowed to drink either. It should be treated just like school. You don’t want a parent visiting the school to bring a beer inside, so why allow it at the high school sporting events. Next is you need to have administrators  all around the student section and if anything inappropriate is being said that person should be taken out and the other students will see there is strict policy.

                I don’t think the student section should be any quieter or not be as excited as they are, but there is an appropriate and right way to do it, which can still be fun.

 

Ulrich, Laura. “Battling Booze and Body Paint.” Athletic Management (2007)

http://www.athleticmanagement.com/2007/10/29/battling_booze_and_body_paint/index.php