Students show out for the rival game against Northern. The theme was “Night Night, Northern.” Photo by Bryan Vo
By Aidan Ganter and Isong Eshiet
From dressing out in unique and quirky outfits, to purple stands surging with chants at a sporting event, Riverside shows its school spirit in a variety of different ways.
Student groups organize cleanups and decorations. Teachers encourage participation and foster pirate pride by competing in donation drives and fundraisers. Student government plans dances, and promotes themes for sporting events and spirit week, alongside a myriad of student activities.
Some students, however, believe school spirit has changed.
“I think it’s declining,” said senior Ziyad Jenkins while watching the final football game of the season. “People think more about themselves than their school.”
On Thursday, Nov. 7, the football team lost its final game of the season to South Granville High. Several seniors in the stands shared their thoughts about the state of Riverside’s school spirit.
“Some people just think they’re too cool for it,” said senior Genaro Hood. “We don’t hype it up enough. No one even knew there was a game tonight.”
With few students in the stands, this game appears to show a distinct lack of school spirit. As the final game of the season, and the last in the career of the senior players, it felt like a disappointing conclusion to the football season.
However, assistant athletic director Brian Strickland said that particular game was an exception. The South Granville game was rescheduled due to weather, and the makeup date was added late in the season.
“It’s been years since we’ve had a game attended like that by the student body,” said Strickland. “We had our big Northern game…We weren’t going to the playoffs, so maybe that was it for the fans.”
Many of the students who were in the stands were student athletes themselves.
“I’m here to support my friends… through wins and losses,” said Genaro Hood.
“I’ve seen other people supporting me when I play my sport,” said Jenkins. “I feel like I should pay that back by giving my support and being supportive of other people.”
Student athletes have free admission to Riverside sporting events, compelling many to attend home games.
“I’m very pleased with our student section and support… attendance by students has been up in every home game,” said Coach Strickland.
Similar incentives are being offered to encourage more participation from the rest of the student body. Strickland also helped create Pirate Athletic Media, a student-run organization that covers Riverside sporting events on social media and schedules theme nights to encourage students to attend games.
“We throw out T-shirts,” Strickland said. “We’re thinking about letting in the first twenty students for free. We have some new ideas for this basketball season,” said Coach Strickland. Winning helps, too. After making the state playoffs in 2022, Riverside’s football team finished 4-6 in both 2023 and ‘24. But other teams’ success has generated increased interest.
For example, attendance steadily increased last winter when the men’s basketball finished 18-10 and reached the second round of the state playoffs.
Senior cross country runners Phillip Blum and Conner Tyrell finished second and third in the state, respectively, and the women’s team qualified for the state meet as well. As the cross country program has grown more successful in the past six years, so has student participation.
And fan interest in Riverside’s men’s soccer team also spiked this fall as it competed for the conference title, then made a deep run in the state playoffs.
“Men’s soccer attendance greatly improved,” said Strickland. “I think school pride is definitely on the up. [We’re] hoping that support will start equating to conference championships and winning… that will be the next step to creating school pride.”
While sports may be one of the most visible displays of school spirit, it’s one of many ways kids build a sense of community and support one another.
“I think SGA is a big contributor,” said senior Henry Hoff. “I’ve never had the most school spirit, but doing SGA is my way of showing it.”
Riverside’s student government association (SGA) organizes many events, such as holding seasonal food drives, voting on and proposing themes for spirit week and dances, and even promoting sports.
Some students, however, wonder if more could be done.
“I think we should make more announcements over the intercom about our sports games.” said junior Izzy Allison Pleasants. “[More cookouts and events] would definitely increase school spirit.”
Other students shared concerns about themes designed to promote school spirit excluding some classmates.
“One thing about not showing up to jersey night, is just not having a jersey. Why should you have to own a jersey just to go to jersey night?” said senior Sam Ovstrovsky.
Despite any supposed oversights in the organization of school events, the role SGA plays in school spirit is crucial.
“SGA fully promotes and organizes spirit week, homecoming, and, this year, the pep rally,” said senior and president of SGA Abby Cho. “We do the food drive, class events, candy grams, and movie night.I definitely do think the student government improves school spirit.”
