Sep 14 and 21, I and other Coronado students, Paige Nelson, Dylan Hill, ventured into the lion’s den by attending a Doherty football game. Proudly but timidly dressed in our Coronado gear, we sat closest to the field and viewed the stadium in its entirety to sea a tumultuous sea of students, parents, and alumni in blue and green. What we witnessed was a completely different sight to what we have seen at any Coronado game, which was a student body that was a proud student body. We saw a united student body that could stand together under common colors. Sadly, Doherty High School managed to do something we could not: unite.

What we as students learned from those two football games was that what made Doherty’s school spirit strong was its interactivity with the student body and common traditions. It was the school’s commonalities that united it.

A Doherty High School football game is not just about the football players, or even the athletes, it is about everyone. At the half-time show, we saw clubs on the field: drill team, band, cheerleading. There was something for everyone. Towards the end of the half-time show, student were rushed out onto the field to form a tunnel for the football players to run through, and the students gave them high fives while they were at it. Even our small block of Coronado students went onto the field and cheered on the players.

Paige Nelson, 10, who attended the game said of the experience “It was amazing and it felt like I was a part of their school when I am not a part of their school. I feel as though our student section would benefit to have the students on the field. Every single group went to the game. Everybody supported their game. The nerds, the jocks, popular, unpopular, everybody”

Without shared customs or history, a school is just a conglomeration of individuals with nothing to do with each other. Every game, Doherty hangs a banner in the stadium that states “We before me” and “We are Spartans.” There is a strong sense of We–of community.

Doherty High School has a strong sense of tradition; every game has the same rituals. The halftime show never disappoints, and at the end of every game the football players take off their helmets, line up at the end zone, and run suicides in spartan stance. The game does not fizzle out but end with a big bang; the players give it their all until the very last second. Students would stay at the game for an extra five minutes just to witness the football players at the end.

What truly separates Doherty from Coronado  is its unity. Although Coronado’s excellence cannot be disputed, our excellence as a community is sub par. Coronado consists of factions that hardly, if ever, interact with one another. If this school really wants school spirit, our self-important upper echelons will have to learn their strength comes from Coronado students, not themselves.

We, as Coronado students, must represent ourselves through our unity. Our school isn’t just our football players; our athletes cannot solely carry the burden of representing our school. All of Coronado should be present at our games: Cougars Care, Dance Club, Catering Club, everyone.

Cougars Care, Key Club, and Pay It Forward all have a unique opportunity to promote their charitable efforts at the game. We could hold fundraisers, like Ms. Schlieker did when she sold snacks at our Homecoming game.

Football and other games are a wonderful (and free) way for clubs to promote themselves. Dance Club could recruit members by performing at the games. Catering Club could cook for tailgate parties. The possibilities are endless, and our capacity for improvement is great.