By Stella Brennan

Did you know that our girls’ basketball team went undefeated in the Big Rivers Conference last year? I bet you didn’t.

This is a problem. People know that our Football team lost every game except for one last year, and they still had so much student support, while the girl’s basketball team accomplished way more and got almost no support from fellow students.

In my opinion, Girls’ Basketball should get way more student support. We were one of the only sports teams last year that made it to the semi-final game to go to state. We had not even 3 full rows of bleachers in our Student Section.

I grew up watching Memorial Girls’ Basketball for my sister. When she was playing, they had a lot of support from the Student Section, which made them feel so accomplished and helped them feel supported by their school. Over the past few years, that percentage has decreased drastically. The team is still going to perform with or without student support, but it would be a major help to create a strong school community and an even stronger program for Girl’s Basketball.

Senior guard Raya Shaw has an idea of why students and the community have stopped going to Girls’ Basketball games. “I think that people have their mind set on Girl’s Basketball being boring, and there not being much skill involved,” Shaw said.  

In an article titled ‘Women’s Basketball is Better than Men’s and It’s Not Even Close,’ by Steve Uppendahl, Uppendahl claims, “Women’s teams have better flow offensively, more selfless plays, more players taking charge, and stronger team defense.” This shows that even though you might think Men’s Basketball is better and more skilled, you are wrong. Men’s teams are just fast and athletic, while girls are more skilled and have learned to work as a team. 

Senior post Addy Larson had ideas of who should come and support the Girls’ Basketball Team. Larson said, “I think other teams like Boy’s Basketball, Football, and the sports that we go and watch too.”

According to Impact of the Student Section written by Gracie Kieth, “Student sections in particular help bring a strong atmosphere into places such as the field or the court. Not only are student sections one of the main representations of the school, but they help players who are also representing the school feel supported.” It is vital to have student support during a game because it shows how the school supports its athletes. This support can also actually impact the game, as studies have shown that student sections do have a significant affect on scores and confidence. Senior guard Cora Graham says, “The atmosphere in a winning gym is unmatched.”

This season, you should make an effort to come to girls’ basketball games. It will be just as fun as football, and you can socialize while being supportive of us. It will mean a lot to everyone playing, and it will improve the atmosphere. will also create a better representation of our school as a whole, and show that we support everyone no matter what their sport is.

Don’t leave our bleachers empty.