Montclair High School Students Have Brought an Uninspiring Attendance to MHS Sporting Events—We Need You!

As of the past two fall seasons, there has been uninspiring and lackluster fan attendance at all sporting events at Montclair High School. Chances are, as a student at Montclair High School, you have been to a sporting event as a spectator. You expect the stands to be filled with prideful high school students cheering on the players and their school; instead, it seems dull, and many are left asking the same question: Where is everyone?

What May Cause the Uninspiring Attendance?

Following the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which decreased attendance rates for all events around the world, students may be afraid of social contrast as COVID-19 cases are currently rising in the United States. Montclair High School Athletic Director Ron Anello believes the “pandemic is behind us” and our student body is needed to cheer on their friends and peers. 

“We have the potential here to have a good student body!” Anello enthusiastically said. 

Can previous team records from past seasons also be a factor in what may cause limited student attendance at Montclair High School sporting events? A team’s record should not be a defining reason why the student sections at Montclair High School are dull.  Montclair High School’s athletes and staff are some of the best in the state and the nation and have brought countless championships to our school. 

To continue this winning mentality, students are needed to support and motivate the players to bring the best out of the teams. “Our team definitely plays better when the student section is at its best: big and loud,” Montclair High School Varsity Soccer defender Nnamdi Emehelu stated.

“When the student section is also giving energy, it takes us to the next level,” he further stated. Students bringing our teams to the “next level,” Emehelu said, displays how much of an impact our students make for our teams and how much pride it gives to the players. This is what we understand Montclair High School to be all about, pride. Emehelu and the team finished off the season with a 13-4-3 record, taking part in the Essex County Final against Seton Hall Prep, as well as big wins against Newark East Side, Seton Hall Prep, Livingston and Montclair Kimberley Academy throughout their season.

Before the Essex County Final, Nnamdi Emehelu spoke about how vital the fans would be in the game. “We need our fans to show up louder than ever, not just on Saturday, but for every game in the future,” Emehelu said. The rest of the season will not be a “cakewalk,” and support from the students is needed more than ever, he claimed before the end of the season. The Mounties season unfortunately ended last Saturday with great crowds for the final games of the season. Why weren’t they there the whole time?

How Students Can Make a Change!

There is no question that our high school generation, compared to older high school generations, is dramatically different. In the past at Montclair High School, most of our sporting events have had a special theme and were held under the night lights, packed with students supporting our school. 

Unique and interesting themes could spark attendance and light at our games. Usually, themes develop excitement around the sporting event and give students a new sense of enjoyment in the game.

As the football team at Montclair High School enters the final stages of its season, showing our creativity to establish unique themes will add great fun and value to our games, and most importantly, it will get more students excited about the upcoming game. 

Promoting and advertising our game more heavily could help increase our student attendance. Putting flyers around the school or using social media could help our students get more involved in our sporting events, especially at smaller games. 

Lastly, possibly give our students a free shirt or food deal for the first 25–30 students that come to the game. Everyone loves free stuff! 

What Should Students Take From This?

Our athletes and athletic staff need our support this school year. We need to be as loud and supportive of our student-athletes as possible. Nothing is better for the teams to see a packed student section cheering on our school, according to Ron Anello. Showing Montclair pride and spirit more frequently at Montclair High School sporting events will make a huge difference for the teams and more importantly, the school.