Having an arena full of fans for sporting events is crucial to the game, and this is no different from the sports being played at State High. State High has a thriving fanbase for some of the many sports at the school. These fans are usually people who actually care about the game being played, and believe that they could possibly help the team win the game. 

“Fans are definitely a part of the game. The fans’ morale and spirit can be reflected by the players on the field. A lot of that morale is illustrated by noise. It’s the ‘get up and get loud’ spirit that makes going to games so diverting,” sophomore Adaline Bainbridge, a recurring fan at sporting events, said. “If you take this a little out of context and look at it more generally, the more supporters you have actively cheering you on, the more you will want to perform well and continue to do what you are doing.” 

The audience plays a big role in games, inspiring athletes to keep playing their best, and supporting even players on opposing teams after getting up from a possible injury. These fans are motivated to cheer on these athletes, as the athletes participating are motivated to perform their best in whatever sport they are competing in. 

“I think that I was overall a more motivated person [since getting involved with the sports community]. I wanted to achieve certain goals, and the feeling that comes with achieving the goals, I was able to carry it on outside of the athletic community, like school and academics. I think it just pushed me to perform better as an individual and made me a lot more organized and productive,” said Lily Bang, junior varsity swimmer and team manager of the State High varsity football team.

While not all fans actually play sports, they still get the benefits of being involved in the sports community. 

“Going to games is a great way to see friends outside of the classroom but, more than that, it builds a sense of community within the student body, ”  Bainbridge said.

While athletes and fans alike cherish the nature of the sports community, this year is a peculiar exception. 

“It’s hard and disappointing not to be able to go to games this year. That being said, it just makes the games we can go to in the future that much more special,” Bainbridge said.  

However, some of the students do not necessarily agree with that idea. 

“I’d say for the fans, sports aren’t necessarily over. There’s always some sort of athletic outlet you could get to if you needed to. For example, football happened this year and you could watch the live-stream and things like that. So we’re still there, it just isn’t the same,” Bang said.

While things are a bit unconventional this year, the role of fans in a game hasn’t been lost. Though they might not be able to attend games physically, they are still supporting athletes from the sidelines and fostering the same sports community that State High has come to love.