stealing the limelight: under-appreciated fall sports

Delaney Ortega, Reporter

Opinion

As the Kamiak football and volleyball teams have had some of their best seasons, it is

evident that other fall sports are left in their shadow. Tennis and cross country are often overlooked in the eyes of the student body, but every sport deserves just as much recognition and support as the next.

From crowd sizes to recognition, there is a clear hierarchy in the fall sports lineup.

When prompted about crowd sizes, captain of the varsity boys tennis team, Aaron Lee ‘22, said, “We usually don’t have [a crowd]; if anything, it's the coaches and our team. There is the occasional parent or two if they want to come to watch.” Lee mentions that virtually little to no students come to watch tennis matches, whereas, at football games, the student section of the bleachers is typically always full.

While football and volleyball have always been crowd favorites, we must encourage all of our Knights in any way we can. More support in these underappreciated sports would have a significant impact on the morale of the athletes involved. “If people are there for you and watching you, it definitely makes something more exciting. Like, every point seems more important and shows how the point you win means that much more. And when the other team sees a sideline of supporters, it’s definitely like a mental thing,” Lee said. If you go to a football game, there is rarely a moment when enthusiasm isn’t present. There is always someone cheering and motivating the players to perform better; why shouldn’t tennis, and other sports, have that same encouragement?

Although she says it doesn’t affect her the same way, cross country athlete Emma Arceo ‘22 said, “I do enjoy having people cheer me on, like a big crowd, but it doesn’t hurt if it isn’t like that.” Even during the seasons of popular sports such as football and volleyball, it is important to recognize and appreciate athletes’ efforts in lesser-known sports. I strongly encourage everyone to attend underappreciated sporting events and encourage your fellow fighting Knights.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Kamiak High School or The Gauntlet.