All Athletes Should Be Recognized

School should promote school spirit for more sports teams

Aariah+Robertson+runs+the+bases+during+the+Liberty+vs.+St.+Dominic+JV+softball+game.+

Julia Wiley

Aariah Robertson runs the bases during the Liberty vs. St. Dominic JV softball game.

Mattie Watson, Reporter

Fridays in high school are always filled with happy students. Not just because the weekend is coming up, but also many students get hyped for the football game that night.

Students will dress up for the football games theme. The players will wear their football jerseys to school that day and cheerleaders will wear their uniform that day as well. There’s so much that happens on the Fridays during and after school while football season is going on. But what about the other sports? Baseball, softball, volleyball, soccer, etc…Where’s the school spirit for all the other sports? Why don’t the school have theme nights for other sports? Why doesn’t the school promote other sports like they do football? Why are so many schools invested in “Friday Night Lights?”

Aariah Robertson is a freshman at Liberty who is 14 years old and is on the JV softball team. Liberty’s JV softball season began Aug. 22. Robertson says the softball season is going good so far and she likes it. Robertson mentions no one goes to away or home games. She wishes the school would promote softball more often such as having spirit wear and wearing their uniforms on game day. “I want to be noticed,” Robertson said. Robertson believes her and her team are going to have a good rest of the season. JV has had a few winning games so far, 9-6 and 11-0. Varsity has done good so far with more wins than losses. Some of the winning scores consist of 11-2, 14-1, and 5-3. Both of Liberty’s softball teams seem to be doing good so far in the 2022-2023 season. Would the outcome be better if the school promoted softball just like football?

Kylee Velcheck high fives a teammate during a match earlier this season. (Ella Pinz)

Ashlyn Stafford is a 15-year-old freshman on the freshman volleyball team. The freshman volleyball season began in August. Stafford says volleyball is going great this year. She mentions that little to no students go to home games. No students are at away games. Stafford says she would like it if the school promoted volleyball. “It would add to the fun,” Stafford said.

Stafford thinks her team is going to do pretty decent the remainder of the season. Freshman has only had one game so far which was a loss. Liberty’s JV team has done decently. One of the winning scores was 4-2. Varsity is doing well with more winning games than losses. Some of the winning scores consist of 4-2, and 6-0. All of Liberty’s volleyball teams are doing well so far in the 2022-2023 season. Would the outcome be different if the school promoted volleyball just like football?

Many other athletes like Robertson and Stafford would benefit from the support that the football team receives throughout their season. Receiving the support of the school, students, and cheerleaders would draw the attention of a big audience for them as well. Every athlete wants and needs recognition for their dedication to their sport. Liberty needs to find a way to implement getting other athletes/students involved in all of the extra-curricular sports to bring everyone together as a team in the school. Let “Friday Night Lights” shine for other sports.