THE PUBLIC MIND: CENTRAL HIGH STUDENTS REBUT COLUMN, SAY TIGER SPIRIT IS HIGH

To the Editor:

"We've got spirit yes we do, we've got spirit how 'bout you?" The comments in Friday's paper made by a first time witness left a lot to be desired by us, the students at Cape Central High School. Our spirit, lack of intensity and celebration were a few among the ridicules made.

The Tiger Spirit was definitely there, from beginning to end, at Thursday night's game. Our players were met on the field by several hundred fired-up students, all yelling and chanting cheers about the Indians. It was commented that you saw "no intense celebration, jumping up and down high fiving action." Where were you sitting? There was plenty of celebration going on in the student section. How could we not have spirit? This was the game we've waited for all year!

Our team's lack of intensity was the next subject of having "no emotion and lacking intensity." Our question to you is, "How can we play an intense game and do little dances at the same time?" If our players do that every time they have one good play, then they are taking the risk that the focus on winning the game would be broken. We think that our INTENSITY must not have been too low considering we claimed the win. We'll let the players do the playing and the fans do the cheering.

Then we come to our "After the game - victory parties!" This is not Mizzou. We don't need to hot dog it we won. The players put their whole heart into the game. Once the game was over, all they wanted to do was relax. Coach Lynch should have been commended for his encouragement to the team to be on time for classes the next day. Instead he was patronized.

Whether or not you saw it, the Central Spirit was extremely high at the game. Maybe you didn't see all of the celebrating you wanted, but it got the job done. So let's ease up and help Restore the Roar, not ridicule it, at Cape Central!

This letter was written by a Cape Girardeau Central High School student and contained more than 90 signatures.