Lamar finds new pep rally solutions

On Sept. 4, Lamar High School cancelled gym pep rallies this year due to the spread of COVID-19.

A pep rally is an event before a school’s sports event that is meant to get students and fans excited and to encourage the team to win. Pep rallies include the fight song, introductions, announcements/acknowledgements, music/band cadences, cheers, performances, crowd participation, games/competitions and skits. This year pep rallies are looking a bit different compared to past pep rallies due to the spread of COVID-19.

“It sucks that we can’t have pep rallies this year, it feels like no one is really supporting us,” Sorrell Lewis, a senior on the varsity football team, said.

COVID-19 cases at Lamar are increasing every day. The Arlington District has a no mandate mask policy at the schools, so it is optional for students and staff to wear a mask even if not vaccinated. COVID-19 has caused many changes with events at Lamar and the pep rallies have become one of them.

“I don’t like the idea of cramming a bunch of people in the gym, given the situation with COVID infections,” principal Andy Hagman said.

Instead of pep rallies in the gym, Lamar hosted a parade that went through the hallways as students cheered for the football team on Sept. 4. Hagman mentioned that for Homecoming this Friday, Lamar will have an outdoor pep rally, but beyond that he is not sure how the school will handle future pep rallies.

“The pep rallies were fun, they always made me get hyped up before a game,” senior Eric Williams said.

For more information about COVID-19 resources in the Arlington District, visit https://www.aisd.net/covid-19/ .