It’s a typical Thursday night. After catching up on my DVR episode of Modern Family and easily blowing off my homework until 6:45 p.m., I head to the Palo Alto High School big gym to watch some quality volleyball. Paly vs. Monta Vista.
Game time. As the Lady Vikes crush the Matadors 20-7 in the third game of the match, I find myself turn around to celebrate this glorious moment with… no one? I awkwardly high five the air, then smoothly play it off like I’m fixing my hair. Close call.
Where are all the fans?! More specifically, the student fans. I know that everyone has college applications, homework and A.P. tests. Not to mention keeping up with all the social networking sites and thousands of other obligations. I get it.
But tonight, the gym seemed eerily empty. The crowd’s energy was weaker than the freshmen cheers during spirit week. And that’s saying something.
Fans bring energy to the game, an extra spark that no players on a team can provide. Knowing that a crowd of people will cheer, holler and jump around for any point you earn makes the game much more exciting. I could go on and on about how great the Paly volleyball team is (I’m pretty sure outside hitter Maddie Kuppe (‘12) could hit a ball hard enough at me to send me back to second grade), but the team speaks for itself.
But it’s not even that. The undefeated (league) Lady Vikes are spectacular, but are not the only reason to show up to a game on a week night. Sports games bring communities together in a way that other community events can’t. It allows people to not only watch the game, but participate in the victories. Even catching the game on Cal-Hi Sports doesn’t fulfill that satisfaction of actually seeing Melanie Wade (‘12) or Caroline Martin (‘12) crushing a ball on the opponents court.
A Paly volleyball game without fans is like eating a bowl of Rice Krispies without milk. Sure, it’s alright. You may even find yourself having a decent breakfast to get you through the day. But without that sweet, white beverage to accompany those crisps, you can’t hear that snap, crackle, pop sound that makes an ordinary meal turn to magic.
