By Emma Grossman

Remember a time when students were actually allowed to cheer how they wanted at sporting events? Neither do I. With new restrictions on how the students can properly support their teams, the fans at WHS have come up with new ways to cheer on the Rangers. From decking out in all pink outfits to support the girls’ volleyball team at Dig Pink on Wednesday, October 15, to the entire student section covering themselves in black to cheer on the football team at the Friday Night Lights game here at WHS on Friday, September 19.

Old traditions that the students were still very willing to  participate in were put to a sudden end, such as the entire Westborough student section holding up newspapers when the opposing team scored or even had possession of the ball. Or even the ability for the boys to paint R-A-N-G-E-R-S on their chests at the lights games was shut-down. Now, my question is why? Why can’t the students here at Westborough come together to cheer on our sports teams in any way we choose? Students at many other high schools can, including Westborough’s very own rival, the Algonquin Regional High School (ARHS) Tomahawks. Algonquin has their own permanent lights at their football field; therefore they have Friday Night Lights games frequently, which bring school spirit to a whole new level. The fans over there are allowed to cover themselves in paint, which many do, lettering T-H-A-W-K-S on their chests in bright gold and maroon. And the spirit doesn’t stop there; the Algonquin students are even allowed to wear headdresses, similar to those the Algonquin Native Americans might’ve worn back when they lived here. They are allowed to wear headdresses, that can be very offensive to both specific religions and people, but we can’t wear a cowboy hat to support the Rangers? Because of these reasons and many more, as much as it pains me to say this, it is true; Algonquin has more spirit than us. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love being a Ranger just as much as the next person, maybe even more, but the fact that we aren’t allowed to do the same things the Tomahawks to encourage our sports teams is holding the Westborough fan section back from being the best it can possibly be.

ARHS isn’t the only school that has an electric sense of school spirit; the Wachusett Regional High School (WRHS) Mountaineers are allowed to have bonfires on campus before a Friday Night Lights game. A bonfire. We aren’t allowed to hold up newspapers or paint our chests, but the Mountaineers are allowed to have a potential fire-hazard in the parking lot; is it just me, or does that seem repulsively wrong.

Despite the exceptionally frustrating ban of cheering the right way, the eccentric Ranger fans have found new ways to showcase their spirit, and not just the fans are in on this newfound surge of school spirit at WHS. Not only have the sports teams helped by continuing their fun and humorous spirit days, but the high school’s student council has also jumped on the spirit bandwagon. Each year the student council hosts a Homecoming Spirit Week for the student body to participate in. Every day has a different theme, and each student is urged to break out their flashy and at times outrageous clothes to help spread the spirit. There is also supposed to be a dance that occurs the Friday night before the Homecoming football game. Not this year, however, with the cumulative want to have a dance after many years without one, and a newly discovered need for school spirit, this year’s dance was one of the most successful ones ever.

School spirit not only spreads awareness of an event, but it unites the students. With the right number of fans and with everyone participating, the WHS student section could be bigger, louder, and more fun than ever before. The students have done an excellent job not backing down with the new rules in order, but we can do better. Make an effort to attend any game you can or participate in any spirit day you can, because sooner or later you’ll want to experience the rush of screaming your head off along with 500 other kids you pass in the halls every day.