Getting into the spirit of things

Yuba City High School has many wonderful attributes. The staff is first-rate, the campus is always kept clean and it is a very safe place to be. What makes the school outstanding, however, is the level of spirit among the students.

School spirit is widespread and apparent throughout the school. Many students wear the school's colors on Fridays, and a good number wear them on other days of the week. Where this spirit is most apparent, however, is at sporting events.

There is sure to be a rowdy student section at almost any sporting event on campus. The largest and rowdiest crowds are at two of YCHS's most popular sports: football and basketball.

Although football is over for YCHS, the students still remember the way they cheered on their team through every play. The game that stands out in most everyone's mind is the YCHS at Sutter Union High School game on Oct. 2. The students came early, and they came prepared. Tom Denney, a senior, had T-shirts made and distributed among the students. Their message was simple: "Beat Sutter."

"As soon as I found out we were playing Sutter this year, I knew I had to do something," Tom said. "It was great to see everyone wearing the shirts at the game, showing off their pride for their school. It is also great to see that pride lasting. I still see people wearing those shirts, even today."

The student section remained standing throughout the entire game. Its members shouted encouragement to their players. Junior Alex Boyer said, "That game was so crazy. Everyone was pumped. We were all screaming our heads off. I was shouting so much, I got a massive headache. But it was totally worth it."

While football is done, basketball is just beginning, and this means one very important thing to student rooters: the return of the Brown Mob. The Brown Mob is the name given to the cheering section of the crowd at basketball games. It is also known as the Sixth Man because it is another member of the team in addition to the five on the court.

The students come together in support of their team and their school. They encourage their team, and they try to distract the members of the other team. This involves uproarious noise and sometimes even sparks banter between the Mob and the opposing team's crowd.

"The Brown Mob is the greatest high school sports crowd in California, and maybe even the West Coast," said YCHS senior class president Rajan Gill. "They are the crowd that no team wants to play."

Basketball player and senior Donnie Triphan said, "The Brown Mob fuels me. When I'm out there playing, it's great to know that so many students care. I hear all those people cheering, and I know how great my school is."

Nick Scribner is a senior at Yuba City High School. His column appears about every sixth week in Education.