#WinOrPlayBasketball. This hashtag was trending all over the WPIAL during football playoffs, both this year and last year. Just like last year, North Hills took pride in its student section (well, at least its football student section). Last year, despite the Student Section’s best attempts to get students in the Middle School Annex Gym, basketball seemed left out of the hype of rowdy North Hills crowds.

A look back at the student section of the fall of 2014 reveals a few bumps in the road. Yes, students were pumped to cheer on Big Red. Yes, the student section leadership was ready to top all WPIAL student sections once again. However, some communication was missing this year.

Discontent seemed rampant throughout the student section, as students called for better themes, and the leadership called for students to go to the games and be loud, regardless of the theme. An outsider’s perspective would reveal fault on both sides.

The leadership was correct; just because a theme isn’t groundbreaking doesn’t mean students shouldn’t be just as pumped for the game as they would be if we were tossing red, white, and blue (or pink) powder into the air.

However, the students were also correct. Repeatedly, students called for and suggested creative themes, and it became abundantly clear that if the theme was creative and fun, then students will come. Not only will they come, but they will be rowdy and loud. And, the fact that the back of the student section was quiet certainly didn’t help get the student section pumped up.

Some may look back at our student section and say it was a failure, and that would be a horrible misconception: our student section was still better than many of the student sections the Indians played against. Many have said we couldn’t possibly live up to the precedent that was set last year, but they are mistaken.

As I already said in the beginning of the article, despite last year’s amped up student section, basketball certainly lacked the support of a full student body. With that in mind, it is certainly not too late to do what the Class of 2014 could not do. It is certainly not too late have one of the best, if not the best, student sections in the WPIAL during the winter sports season.

Lastly, I would like to mention that running a student section with such high standards is no easy job. Yet, this certainly didn’t stop students from putting the student section leadership down. Keep that in mind this basketball season. I am certainly thankful for all the hard work (and, homework pushed aside), that our Student Section Leaders do for the Indians.

A few ideas for the student section this basketball season:

Shark Week- Let’s be honest: a student section full of sharks, half-eaten people, shark-bait, and Sharknado references would make for an amazing North Hills crowd.

Survivor Week- Bring your survivor buffs and tiki torches and get ready to vote someone off the island, because this theme would be a blast.

Zombie Theme- What would be cooler than a student section full of the walking dead?

Santa’s Beard Theme- Whether you are naughty or nice, this is an incredibly simple theme. All you need to do is bring your own white beard, and as Buddy the Elf says, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is [getting] loud for all to hear.” This theme will be at its prime right before Christmas.