By Jay Carroll
Staff Writer
Showing school spirit at sporting events is a great and fun way to stay entertained, but at a certain point the fans in the stand have to draw a line.
Coppell is known for the academics – but especially the sports. Coppell sports are very big; we have an extensive line of state champion teams. Volleyball, soccer, hockey, baseball and lacrosse, have all won on the state level, and with this success comes the want and need for student and fan support.
Now, this is only my second year at CHS, and I am unaware of how harsh the fans were before I got here. But it is rough. I cannot even imagine being on the opposing team, stepping onto the field or court with fans of the opposing team cursing and screaming at me.
Being in sports at this school, I love when we can get as many fans out to our games as possible. It adds an environment to the game that makes you feel like you are a part of something great and important.
However, it can be really distracting with the fans yelling at the other team, and it gives Coppell a bad name when fans are being less than polite to the opposing team.
High school sports are a great thing to be a part of, but when you start being rude you give the school a bad name. It makes other schools, students and parents start to lose respect for us as a school.
It is not only high schools that are guilty of this; it is colleges as well.
Most of the time the fans are really nice, which makes me have respect for the college. But I have also been to college football games where the opposing fans are just awful, which just makes me lose respect for that school.
It is the same thing here at the high school. The fans have been so bad before that the student section made a volleyball player from the other team cry. The students here also need to keep in mind that there are kids from lower grade schools like elementary and middle schools at these games, and when they see the older kids act like monsters, they will start to imitate what the older kids do.
Two years ago, when I would sit in the middle school section of the stadium, everyone just kind of minded their own business and talked to each other. It was actually really peaceful and a pleasant environment to watch the game in. When I walk past that used to be peaceful section now, while it isn’t bad, it can get a bit crazy.
High school sports are great, but everyone involved is supposed to have fun. It’s not worth it to give the school we attend and love a horrible reputation because of a sport. Sure high school football players are gods in the state of Texas; heck, there was even a show created over high school football. Even in that show though, the fans aren’t rowdy. They are supportive of the team.
So, go support the athletic teams at Coppell, but before you shout out a derogatory phrase or cuss someone out, think about the name that you will give Coppell High School, just because of a sport.
