FeaturesFebruary 16, 2017
'The spirit is alive': Student sections cheer on their basketball teams
A lot of responsibilities play out at varsity basketball games. Coaches stalk the sidelines, referees maintain order, cheerleaders display spirit, scorekeepers track points and fouls, and public address informs onlookers. And then there are the student sections, an energized mass of youth literally standing ready to punctuate the action...
A lot of responsibilities play out at varsity basketball games.
Coaches stalk the sidelines, referees maintain order, cheerleaders display spirit, scorekeepers track points and fouls, and public address informs onlookers.
And then there are the student sections, an energized mass of youth literally standing ready to punctuate the action.
Blocked shots, slam dunks, three-point plays or a TV station's camera are the stimuli most likely to invoke a frenzied response from this group that arrives with game faces on, and usually much more. They provide much of the volume that fills a gym, drowning out the sounds of squeaky sneakers, bouncing balls and lone voices.
They sometimes come equipped with props, such as those the Cape Girardeau Central High School student section, known as "The Jungle," recently wielded at a home game that pitted the boys basketball team against rival Notre Dame.
Upon introduction of the opposing Bulldog starters, the Central section, many dressed up as football players, demonstrated disinterest by pulling out newspapers and pretending to read.
In response, Notre Dame's "Blue Crew" student section, dressed as Hawaiian tourists, turned their backs toward the court when the Tigers were introduced.
Game on.
"I think the funnest part is just getting to cheer against the other student section," said Notre Dame senior Nick Wiesner, one of the Blue Crew leaders. "Being able to see your student section really pumped up as well, I think that's really fun to see."
The Jungle was making a subtle dig, which they're known to do on occasion, with their attire. Their queen, senior Calli House, wore eye black and a football jersey, as did their king, senior Trent Leimer.
It was among the array of themes the section abides by throughout the season.
"We kind of have, like, a CT football theme," Leimer said. "Since Notre Dame doesn't have a football team, we thought we'd poke a little fun at that."
The dig didn't seem to roil the vacationing Notre Dame students, some of whom only connected the dots when coaxed into deeper contemplation.
"I guess they're doing the football theme because we don't have a football team," said Wiesner, a four-year member of the Blue Crew. "It doesn't bother us."
Wiesner was wearing a bucket hat and a Hawaiian shirt as part of the theme, which he said usually is planned out the night before and relayed through social media.
"Basically, it's just something we haven't done yet," Wiesner said of the Hawaiian selection. "We kind of go through a lot of different themes."
Nearby, senior Allyson Jansen peered through sunglasses.
"We try to keep it classy," Jansen said. "We don't want to do anything that offends the other team. So we definitely try to do it, like, more promoting the Bulldogs. This is a fun theme that everybody can get into, and it's not offending the other team, obviously."
School administrators chaperone behavior. In this case, Notre Dame principal Brother David Migliorino was sitting in an adjacent section just a few yards away from tropical paradise.
"You can't really shout much at the other players," Wiesner said. "Brother David always has an eye on us to make sure we're not chanting bad things at the other team."
Which may have explained the section's positive reminders. For instance, when a Central player stood at the free-throw line, a chorus of "CONCENTRATE, CONCENTRATE, CONCENTRATE" was sent his way.
For the Blue Crew -- as well as other student sections -- rude behavior is best served within, part of an effort to maintain hierarchy.
As a four-year member of the Blue Crew, Jansen has paid her dues, starting in the back rows of the student section as a freshman before slowly working her way to the front.
"I have a little sister that is a freshman this year, and basically, as a senior, we just boot 'em back," Jansen said. "That's kind of how it goes. Literally, 'Seniors are here; get up; get out.' ... It's kind of rude, but that's how it's been year after year. That's how we were when we were freshmen -- we'd get kicked out."
Freshmen in the back rows lack the flair and swagger of seniors occupying the bottom rows, looking more like caterpillars awaiting metamorphosis.
In The Jungle, Leimer and House were executing their duties after being hand-picked by last year's king and queen, respectively.
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Bequeathed traffic cones by the previous rulers in a ceremony after a game last season, they're in charge of The Jungle, which also plays to seniority.
House described her title, passed down by Megan Smith, as an honor.
"It really is," House said. "Yeah, I love leading and just getting everybody all hyped up and everything. It's lots of fun."
Leimer, who assumed power from 2016 graduate Lawson Berry, queues up chants and songs through his cone, which he uses as a megaphone. He finishes many nights sounding like a hoarse coach.
The king and queen's duties include picking a theme, which they declare on Twitter. The repertoire includes beach, camouflage and white-out themes, among others.
"Me and Trent talk about it and ask around and stuff and just try to think of new ideas," House said.
Wiesner expressed pleasure with how well the Blue Crew traveled away from the "Dog Pound," a usually jam-packed, five-row section at Notre Dame.
"I think we have a bigger turnout tonight than the home crowd," Wiesner said about the support for a Bulldogs team that was on a nine-game winning streak at the time.
The Jungle displayed its road game less than a week later when more than 100 members traveled by caravan to Jackson in a showdown of the basketball teams from the area's two largest public schools.
It was also a showdown with J Crue, Jackson's student section. The matchup among rival sections had an edgier feel than the one against Blue Crew.
The Jungle and J Crue occupied the north side of the stands, buffered by a couple of sections of less boisterous fans.
The Jungle wore a Christmas theme in the northeast corner, and J Crue donned a "gangsta" theme in the northwest corner.
"It was just on the list," Jackson senior Landon Pehle said about the apparel, which included a lot of bling jewelry and baseball caps. "We've done it before with Sikeston and other schools. Sometimes we do beach theme; there's just a lot. We just usually stick to what they did from the last year."
Pehle and fellow senior James Ward lead J Crue, also having been knighted by predecessors.
"Jake Byrd picked me, and Micah Collier picked him," Ward said. "We'll pick two people at the end of this year, just people that come to all the games and help out."
The Jungle featured one member dressed as a Christmas tree and threw chants and carols the Indians' way, capped by a traditional serenade of "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" in the closing moments.
Central principal Chris Case and vice principal Leigh Ragsdale monitored the section throughout the night.
Afterward, Case, who oversaw an orderly exodus of The Jungle, helped pick up remnants, including orange foam fingers, from the vacated stands.
He said the school talks to its students before the football and basketball seasons about behavior.
"Obviously, we want to have fun out here, but we also want to have good sportsmanship," Case said. "We want to keep that in mind as we go."
The quiet stood as a welcome reprieve from the energized teens, and Case smiled as he started down the bleacher steps.
"The spirit is alive, the orange-and-black spirit," Case said. "We're very glad to see that. There are a lot of schools where you'll go and they don't have this kind of turnout and this kind of passion toward their sports teams, so that's kind of fun to have that kind of support behind our kids."
House said she believes her school's student section can affect the outcome of a game, and she had to look no further than the scoreboard to support her claim on both occasions.
For Central, there was much to cheer about with wins over both SEMO Conference rivals, part of a seven-game winning streak in what has been a banner season for the players and their diehard fans.
"Honestly, all the guys, they'll tell us afterwards, 'Wow, you guys really helped us today,'" House said. "Like, 'The Jungle did great tonight.' It really does help them, I believe."
She'll get no argument from junior standout Austin Parker.
"I love their support," Parker said. "We really feed off it. It's great; it gives us energy and makes us play well."
jbreer@semissourian.com
(573) 388-3629
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