Every year, the Pep Rally is an event that gets students riled up for our sports teams. With all the teams giving great performances, our brand new gymnastics team being showcased, and the first ever Students vs. Staff Volleyball Game taking place, it’s safe to say that last week’s pep rally was one to remember. 

Students entered the gym to the band playing and the cheerleaders welcoming them with cheers. The colors of black and orange filled the stands as students and staff wore their new and improved “Tiger Pride” shirts. Once all the students and sports teams entered, the event began. The MCs this year were seniors Ariana Bondi, Georgia Danzger, Itamar Freund, and Jiho Park. They helped break the ice and get the crowd excited for what was to come. “My favorite part about being MC was making the pep rally exciting,” said Bondi. “I participate in many school events to try and show support for our school, so it felt rewarding to be able to speak in front of the entire school and energize them.”

This year’s Pep Rally showcased our school spirit with the crowd roaring for every team. No matter how big each team is or how good its showcases were, the students gave each team a warm welcome. “Some people think that our school is lacking in spirit,” said Freund. “Having an event like this gives our school an opportunity to express it, and this year we showed our spirit greatly.”

This year, our brand new gymnastics team led off with a fantastic performance filled with flips and cartwheels. It was an exciting way to give students a look at a team that many didn’t know existed prior to the rally. They were one of three finalists, which included the boys’ soccer team as well as the girls’ volleyball team. The boys’ soccer team attempted to cut Karmel Segui’s (‘21) infamous man-bun off, but the valiant effort was cut short due to the hedge clippers being taken away. The team then threw out candy to the crowd and did its trademark “Viking Clap.” The girls’ volleyball team ended up winning the Pep Rally’s spirit award. The girls started off by showcasing their skills by bumping and spiking balls of all different sports, including some basketballs and soccer balls. They even got the crowd involved by having them hit the balls as well, which sealed their win. While some thought the volleyball team had the best performance, many others had different opinions. “I thought girls’ tennis had the best overall performance,” said Natalie Ha (’20). “They got the crowd involved by throwing candy and had a confetti bomb go off which spurted confetti all over.”

The unanimous highlight of the event was the Student-Staff Volleyball Game. This was the first of its kind, and it allowed our team captains and teachers from all different athletic backgrounds to try something new. At the start of the game, the students took a commanding six to nothing lead with Lily Feingold giving great serves. However, the teachers came back with indomitable efforts by Mr. White and Mr. Toale. Although the teachers ended up winning the game, the students were glad to see a new addition to the Pep Rally.

In the end, this Pep Rally was a complete success. With a boisterous crowd, new and unique performances by the sports teams, and a successful debut of our Student-Staff Volleyball Game, this rally was truly one to remember.