Pep Rallys ?

[Jo]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, Jennifer Boggess Ramon 
<boggles at e...> wrote:
> At 10:40 PM +0100 7/5/03, Pinguthegreek wrote:
> >Hi everyone....
> >
> >I'm just watching the start of Varsity Blues.  I just wondered, 
are 
> >pep rallies for real or do people really get enthusiatic ?
> 
> Oh, yes.  Especially where American-style football (with the 
shoulder 
> pads and the pointy-ended ball) is a big topic of conversation - 
> large parts of the South, the Midwest, and almost all of Texas, for 
> example.
> 
<snip>

Having ventured out once already today, I can't believe I am doing 
this again so soon.  Since Texas has been mentioned I thought I would 
give you my perspective on pep rallies.

I have lived in the "Piney Woods" of East Texas, the "Llano Estacado" 
in the Panhandle, and the "Hill Country" of Central Texas. I have 
either attended or taught in schools (two of which I was a middle 
school cheerleading sponsor) from the smallest to among the largest 
in the state. I thought I could give you my unique view of the pep 
rally.  

The schools I have been in usually make pep rallies manditory for the 
students in that school.  Small town schools often have High School, 
Middle School, and Elementary Schools on ajoining campuses.  
Depending on the views of the administration, younger students may be 
invited to attend.  For the last couple of years the administrators 
in my school felt that it would boost school spirit for the 
elementary students to be there so it was strongly suggested that we 
take our classes to the pep rallies.  Before we were invited to the 
Homecoming pep rally and maybe one other.

In some of my former schools the band played two or three numbers 
while the cheerleaders, twirlers, and drill teams alternated between 
cheers and dances.  At some point there is a brief speech by a coach, 
teacher, administrator, team captain, or a loyal fan. My husband was 
asked to make the speech several times during the years he helped 
broadcast the games over the radio.  In every pep rally I have been 
to there is some sort of spirit award - usually a spirit stick.  This 
is where each class tries to yell louder than any other class. This 
is also usually the only time anyone (other than the cheerleaders) 
actually cheer.  They may clap and yell for the players, after a 
cheer, or for the speech, or they may laugh and hollar when there is 
a skit, but the cheerleaders are usually on their on for the 
cheers.   

The school I am in now does not have a strong band so they beat on 
the drums when the cheerleaders want people to yell, and then they 
play the school song for the football players to leave.  What the 
band lacks in power, the cheerleaders make up for with rock music 
blasted into the gym from monster speakers.  Last year we even had a 
local rock band of high school kids play at a pep rally.

There are always kids who are really excited by the pep rallies and 
kids who sit with their arms crossed over their chests sulking.  
Being an elementary teacher, I can tell you that the younger ones 
have a blast.  However, it can be a dangerous event.  For some reason 
our cheerleaders have decided that throwing candy increases spirit. 
It definitely increases noise level and black eyes. 

Professor Phlash
AKA Jo

-who has now posted three times in the last six or eight months.