In the fall, you can hear their roaring from the bleachers at a Friday night football game. In the winter, you can hear their hoots and hollers at a hometown basketball game.
But it’s awfully quiet in the bleachers and stands when spring turns the corner.
With multiple spring sports, the Rat Pack has dispersed themselves into those sports and has not come back to support the others.
There is a lack of spirit among Rat Pack in the spring to support those sports they are not involved in.
Though it may be tough to be a Rat Pack member, it is not acceptable to completely shut down once basketball season has come to an end.
I understand people have prior commitments, but spring sports shouldn’t be slighted off. The athletes of the spring sports don’t necessarily appreciate knowing they aren’t given as much support as football and basketball players.
Our students are very proud of their school. They support the school by branding themselves with varieties of shirts, pants, car tags and sweatshirts.
If you bought these items to support your school, go stand out at a spring meet or game, for free, for a couple of hours. If you are willing to stand out in the cold windy weather of November yelling at a sub-state football game, then standing in the warm spring weather of April and May shouldn’t be an issue.
Multiple members of the Rat Pack are involved in fall and winter sports; who that comes to support the football and basketball games after practices. All they need to do is come to the track meets, softball/baseball games and tennis matches after practices. Attendance shouldn’t change from spring sports to fall and winter sports.
Even if there are a limited number of home meets and games to attend, that should make Rat Pack members want to make more of an effort to show off school spirit. Their motto for every game to be a “P-Town Beat Down” has ceased to exist during the spring sports. Paola is still able to earn a victory, but it’s more essential when panther fans show an interest in attending these spring sports to support them. Students should want to travel to other schools to show off Paola spirit since during spring they have limited opportunities to show off that spirit.
There are rarely two sporting events on the same evening, and even when there are there are many more games and meets Rat Pack members can attend.
The Rat Pack has a lot of influence in school spirit at games and at the high school. Though you may not see it, it is surely there. The underclassmen look up to the “leaders” of the Rat Pack, which influences them in wanting to be a part of the Rat Pack.
What these leaders should be doing is showing school spirit all year round. Also, members of the Rat Pack do not need to be escorted to these spring sport games and meets by these “leaders.” If you are a member, you should be taking a role in stepping up to show what you can do to lead the Rat Pack by showing your support to the spring sports.
The Rat Pack needs to step up. Members participate in spring sports, but even if you come late to a game after practice, the fact that you showed up to support that sport will be effective in boosting morale for the players.
There should be no members’ school spirit slacking off. Go support with the horns, loud chants, the clothes, and the car tags. That way, the motto “P-Town Beat Down” is still in existence to the student body. To show Paola can stand out and be loud, and have a student body that enjoys showing off school spirit.
This isn’t to just focus on the Rat Pack; it is to show that there is hardly any school spirit in the spring from any student. That more students need to also set up and show they care for their student athletes as well.
Give every sport season equal support; keep the winning spirit alive and mark those V’s down for victory every time. Show up, stand out, be loud because your support is valued and the bleachers are lonely this time of year.