I remember my high school days at Austin High School, going to all of the home girls and boys basketball games season after season. It always seemed like the thing to do, especially on Friday nights. I remember the gym was pretty full, and the the cheer block and the band were both there to energize the players.
But when I went back to a couple of games featuring a Jackson County school playing at Austin, things just weren’t the same. The gym and the band both seemed half the size. The crowds didn’t really seem to get into the game as much. There was a cheer block at one of the games but not the other. It was nothing like I remembered. Ball games sometimes, anymore, seem to be more of a social hour than anything.

Having the opportunity to cover about 20-25 ball games this season for The Tribune, I’ve really enjoyed it. I first had the opportunity last February to cover 11 games for the paper (that’s before I got my job here). I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. It’s become something I look forward to every week, just being able to help out when it’s needed. I’ve mainly covered Brownstown’s game this season, but I’ve also done four or five Crothersville games, a Trinity Lutheran game and a Medora game. I’ve also gone to some games and done video, where some of the games I did only writing and some I did both writing and video.

I like seeing the parents, grandparents, family and friends follow their respective players to home and away games. It’s good to see that following. But what I don’t see at games (at least, like I remember it) is student attendance. Yeah, I have been to several games (especially home games) where there is some sort of “cheer block” and that’s good to see. But some seem to be more concerned about talking on their cell phones or gabbing with their friends than they do about rallying behind their team.

After attending a pep session for the Seymour girls basketball team this past Thursday, I was disappointed in the number of students that were there. Maybe they held a pep session Friday at the school, where all students could go, I don’t know. But the majority of people there Thursday night was parents and family of the players. These girls had won the sectional the week before and were on to a regional game this past weekend. That’s something to be proud of and that’s a big accomplishment because Seymour plays some big, tough schools. The team they were facing Saturday, they had only beat them by one point in the regular season, so it was sure to be a good game. Plus, the two teams they beat in the sectional, they lost to in the regular season.
Anyway, I just remember sectional pep sessions when I was in high school. At the end of the day, either the day of or the day before the big game, all the students in the school would gather in the gym to rally behind the team. They might do something special or just have a good message for the team and coach. But it was just the fact that the pep session truly lived up to its name. It would be good to see that more, but not just at pep sessions. Carry that on to the games as well.

I will say I was impressed by the amount of purple and white I saw Saturday morning at the girls game. There were students there forming some sort of cheer block. But there were no cheerleaders to lead them, and to me, the cheer block wasn’t very vocal. The parents and family of the players were the ones being vocal and cheering on their team. I’m not saying that wins games, by any means, but I just think it’s nice to see the support behind the team and the school. At many of the away games I’ve gone to this year, I’ve not seen one cheerleader or even the hint of a cheer block. But in the stands are the parents, grandparents, family and friends, loyal and true to the team. That’s a good thing, of course.

Some may argue that Class basketball has tarnished this. I’ve read some people say they enjoyed the days when small schools like Austin potentially could potentially play big schools like Seymour in sectional play. The challenge was there, the hype was there and if you defeated a bigger school, it really proved something. Some of that still happens, but I just think a return to all of the hype and hysteria would be nice.

Overall, I just think it’s nice to show the visiting teams how much you support your team. You want them to look and say, “Now that school has some spirit” or “They really rally behind their team.”
Just thinking back to those sectional games I went to in high school, the team spirit as well as the crowd spirit sure were evident. Sitting here now, I can just picture those games in my head. Just overall representation of your school, your team and your community. That’s what Indiana high school sports SHOULD be about.

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