School spirit at sports games has always been an important, though sometimes minimal, part of Saratoga High culture. This year, a “Red Zone” has been implemented at a few of the football games to try and attract students to create a student section and support the football team.
Senior Zara Sheikh was one of the main students who helped create the Red Zone, a section on the right side of the bleachers only for students. In the past, Code Red, a student-led spirit group, has told other students to join them at the games, but this is the first official Red Zone student section. The Red Zone is open to all students who want to show their pride for the home team.
“The leadership class and I decided to start the Red Zone because we thought it could increase the school spirit,” Sheikh said. “We feel that the football team deserves the same amount of support as they got at the Los Gatos game last year for every game. By creating the student section, it’s a way to have a more dense section of school spirit where students can wear red and cheer together instead of being spread out.”
Sophomore Jackie Taysi agreed that having other students around that are cheering helps more participation in school spirit.
“I think it’s important that students go to games,” Taysi said. “When cheering on your school it helps the teams and everyone is happy with the football team wins. Most of the students were dressed up in red and they cheered along with the cheerleaders.”
Some students were unaware that such a student section even existed. Junior Shireen Kaul sat in the section not because she knew it was the Red Zone, but because her friends invited her to join them.
“I don’t think people really knew there was a Red Zone,” Kaul said. “There was a sign but I didn’t see it. I think it should be more prominent because when students see other people cheering they feel like cheering too.”
According to Sheikh, the Red Zone will most likely be at basketball games as well, because basketball is often attended by larger, more spirited and supportive student crowds.
“I just think that every school should have some kind of pride in their school,” Sheikh said, “Especially pride for the athletes since sports are a huge interest for our generation. They are just also good ways to bring the school together.”
