“Drive home safely” are the words that filled the student section as the CSD Spartans lead against Christ the King at the game last Friday night. The stands were filled with people. The cheerleaders were waving their pom-poms in the air. The high schoolers were running around dressed in button-up shirts and backward hats. All was right at Spartan park; however, you would not have seen these things at this time last year. 

COVID has taken its toll on many things. Among them, Friday night lights. However, with the return of a fall football season this year, it is apparent there is a resurgence of the student section. It’s back and better than ever. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of North Carolina declared that all high school football seasons would be postponed from their traditional fall season to late winter and early spring of 2021. 

Not only did this change the time of year students sat on metal bleachers under stadium lights, but it also created scheduling conflicts for student-athletes and fans. It wasn’t just football season. It was also basketball, softball, lacrosse, and soccer season. 

As a student-athlete myself, I hated that I had to miss some of the football games in order to attend my softball games. The games I was able to attend just weren’t the same. There were no crowds. No student sections. No themes. No fun.  

Thankfully, students are eager to attend the games this year, and the student section has seen a drastic expansion. 

Abby Guise, a CSD senior and cheer captain, described her most memorable moment of the year. “The second home game of the season, a bunch of seasons came, and we [the cheer team] did a cheer and they [the student section] joined in, and they started cheering for and with us which is not something that had happened since my freshman year.”

One way CSD has been able to help reactive the spartan spirit is through the Sparty Party Instagram account. Sparty Party is the CSD spirit and athletic account that informs students of games, themes, and any other information regarding sports. 

Mariana Soares, a CSD senior, runs Sparty Party. Every year, a senior is chosen to run the account, and at the end of the year, the current account handler picks a junior to be the keeper of Sparty Party. Like Sparty Party, the hope is to pass down all the traditions and Spartan spirit on to the new high schoolers to come. 

This Friday, October 29th, is the CSD VS PLP rivalry football game. Make sure you grab your tickets to come and support the CSD Spartans.