Pep Rallies/School Spirit/Pep Clubs-Are They in the Past?

[xtramile]

It has been mentioned on here in several threads this season that attendance at games has been lower than ever for many teams. I have been wondering if part of the reason could be that our high school no longer has pep rallies - not even before big games such as a rivalry game or a district championship. Pep rallies used to create school spirit and help give the team a boost. Students left school that day with a strong desire to attend the game. Pep clubs used to decorate the gym or have a send-off for the team. Now it seems hardly anything is done, unless the booster club of parents intiates it. Is this happening at other schools? Are pep rallies and active pep clubs in the past?

[mcraycraft]

Pep rallies take away from instructional time! Boosting morale has nothing to do with REAL life.

[sportsmaniac]

Morale, enjoying life, and building lifelong memories is not as important as learning a formula for a Chemistry class. (That you will never use).

 

Probably shouldnt say that as an adult! Might be why I don't have a good job!!

Edited February 27, 2009 by Ram
Rule 13

[cchs_camel_1]

Campbell has about 2 pep rallies a year which is sad. Although student attendance was up this year.

[BaseballIsLife]

Scott High School has about 3 a year and they are always fun to watch and are interesting as the staff and administration are really involved.

[Raider1]

Pep rallies take away from instructional time! Boosting morale has nothing to do with REAL life.

 

I understand your point but think that if you make school a prision and don't allow the kids and staff to enjoy themselves once in a while it can lose the interest of the students real fast. If they have nothing to reward them for doing good in school and learning then at that age they feel like what's the point. 2-3 pep rallies a year for 30-45 minutes is not knocking a child out of much learning in my opinion!

[BaseballIsLife]

Pep rallies take away from instructional time! Boosting morale has nothing to do with REAL life.

 

Also its good to get the kids out of class and have fun a little. It can't be ALL business and for heavens sake we are talking about kids here. The kids deserve to have a little fun now and then and so why not get together for a school event like a pep rally to support some of their own teams!

[cchs_camel_1]

Also its good to get the kids out of class and have fun a little. It can't be ALL business and for heavens sake we are talking about kids here. The kids deserve to have a little fun now and then and so why not get together for a school event like a pep rally to support some of their own teams!

 

Completely agree.

[sport09]

Pep rallies take away from instructional time! Boosting morale has nothing to do with REAL life.

 

I am hoping this is sarcasm. I don't know of many wars that have been won without the troops receiving the occasional "pep talk" to boost their morale or many Fortune 500 companies that have succeeded over the long haul without the "buy in" from its employees.

[PureFan]

Back in my day, we had a pep rally every Friday during Football Season. The Cheerleaders decorated the entire school with posters and made signs for each football player. Teachers held poster contests and each grade held a competition to see who would have the most students in attendance at the game. The prize a pizza party, or passes to the student lounge. The entire community supported the team and often the local businesses would hold contests for the most spirited window decorations. There was a lot of pride in and support for the school and the sports teams. Going to the game on Friday night was the "thing to do", whether you were a student, business person, or just community member.

 

Of course, this was long before satelyte or cable TV, cell phones, computers, etc. Creating this type of school loyalty also had long term benefits to the school. They hosted a very large alumni support group, which funded academic as well as athletic scholarships. Schools today are losing out in the long run, what they may gain in saving 20 or 30 minutes of class instruction.

[mcraycraft]

I am hoping this is sarcasm. I don't know of many wars that have been won without the troops receiving the occasional "pep talk" to boost their morale or many Fortune 500 companies that have succeeded over the long haul without the "buy in" from its employees.

 

I am being very sarcastic as this is a sore subject for me.

[SportsDummy]

Schools are so busy saying why they can't do something (i.e. pep rallies, after school activities, etc) , they don't have time left to make something happen. I wish they would start out with how can we do this, not why we can't, knowing that some things still won't happen because of logistics. The teachers and staff at schools are role models and they need to remember it is not just what comes out of their mouths during classroom instruction but their attitude and actions that influence the students tremendously. It is a big responsibility, and parents should do the same.

[PureFan]

Schools are so busy saying why they can't do something (i.e. pep rallies, after school activities, etc) , they don't have time left to make something happen. I wish they would start out with how can we do this, not why we can't, knowing that some things still won't happen because of logistics. The teachers and staff at schools are role models and they need to remember it is not just what comes out of their mouths during classroom instruction but their attitude and actions that influence the students tremendously. It is a big responsibility, and parents should do the same.

:thumb:

[Ram]

Vince Lombardi, and many other professional athletes and coaches, have made a good living at motivating corporate America. There are things to be learned from athletics just as there are things to be learned in the classroom and elsewhere. This is the just of conversations that I have had with educators, parents, and fans. The football field, basketball court, and baseball field are classrooms just as Room 111 is a classroom, it is just a different setting, take advantage of the opportunity to teach.

 

As for pep rallies, they are a big part of student life and should be embraced to teach school spirit, comrodary, and to motivate. They are just as important as any other part of High School. If you put the classroom, sports, pep rallies, field trips, lunch room, and every other event together, you get a High School. You can't just take one part and say this is the most important, just like you can't say the RB is the most important position, you have to have all 11 players to win and without one part, you don't have a team. It's the sum of all the parts.

[mcraycraft]

Vince Lombardi, and many other professional athletes and coaches, have made a good living at motivating corporate America. There are things to be learned from athletics just as there are things to be learned in the classroom and elsewhere. This is the just of conversations that I have had with educators, parents, and fans. The football field, basketball court, and baseball field are classrooms just as Room 111 is a classroom, it is just a different setting, take advantage of the opportunity to teach.

 

As for pep rallies, they are a big part of student life and should be embraced to teach school spirit, comrodary, and to motivate. They are just as important as any other part of High School. If you put the classroom, sports, pep rallies, field trips, lunch room, and every other event together, you get a High School. You can't just take one part and say this is the most important, just like you can't say the RB is the most important position, you have to have all 11 players to win and without one part, you don't have a team. It's the sum of all the parts.

 

Love this post!!!!!! :thumb: