At the Alcoa-Bearden football game, around 300 students from Bearden High School showed up to the game – taking up not just one section of bleachers, but two.
This year’s new student section leaders are determined to continue that momentum throughout the 2023-24 school year and into all of Bearden’s sports.
This year is particularly different for the history of the student section at Bearden High School, as this is the first season where there are nine student section leaders; last year, there were only six. Because of this number, student section leaders are able to be present at more sporting events.
“We have a lot more student section leaders, which means more people are involved, with everything,” soccer player and section leader Shepard McMurray said.
McMurray and other leaders believe that since more students are involved, better outcomes will come out of all Bearden sports.
“One of the goals is to definitely to get people to show up and just be there,” dance team member and leader Maddie Taylor said.
The leaders believe that encouraging students to show up to more events will allow for more sports to have a reason to play well, causing more games to be won.
“There are a lot more people at away games this year than last,” Taylor said. “I didn’t think there were gonna be around 300 people there (at Alcoa).
“That makes me excited for home games because if there are that many people at away games, then the home games are gonna be massive. I would definitely say that is one of the biggest differences – how many people are showing up this year.”
This season, the student section has coordinated with the band and the cheer team to come up with new cheers.
“We are doing a lot more cooperation with the cheer team and band with what they play and what they sing,” leader Jaycie Myers said. “We have a kick off chant from SpongeBob… it’s just a fun way to get people on their toes at the beginning of the game.
“We have a ‘do it’ cheer with the cheerleaders that’s trying to get everyone ready for the 3rd quarter, to get everyone ready after half time.”
The student section will have its home debut on Friday when the football team plays Anderson County at 7.