“Let’s go Rockets! Clap-Clap, Clap-Clap-Clap,” the sea of red students chant as they cheer for Reading. The visiting team instantly knows they are in for a long night.

The school’s sports events are some of the most notable occasions at RMHS. It is one of the only places where the student body puts away any differences they may have with each other and stands shoulder to shoulder to band together for one common thing – the hope of a Rockets victory.

Groups of Reading Memorial High students gather at Burbank Ice Arena, shivering in line to get into the 7:00 pm RMHS hockey game. The line slowly creeps up to the entrance, where each student is more than happy to pay the $5 fee for their ticket so that they can root for their beloved Rockets. Once inside, the students give their tickets to the man guarding the arena. The student section slowly builds in the bleachers as the start of the game draws nearer. There is a hierarchy in the bleachers, with the upperclassman at the top and the underclassman down at the bottom. At 6:55, the visiting team skates onto the ice, showered with boos from the crowd. About fifteen seconds later, the student section roars as the Rocket hockey players open the door and skate onto the ice. At 7:00, the ritual playing of the Star Spangled Banner begins.

In total, roughly 300 Rockets fans are in the crowd. “Being part of the student section is great because you get to bond with students you otherwise wouldn’t feel the need to. I often find myself in conversations with people I’ve never met before, and it is a great way to make new friends and meet new people. I love going to the games to support my classmates that are playing and it is something I always look forward to,” explained RMHS senior Jonathan Nazzaro.

According to an article on ESPN, “The first known student section gathered…on Nov. 6, 1869, in New Brunswick, N.J., to watch Princeton play Rutgers in the first college football game. Half the crowd of 100 was Rutgers students, who set themselves apart from the citizenry by wearing scarlet scarves wrapped around their heads like turbans.” Since then, student sections have gotten so popular around the nation that some students even choose their college based on the prominence of their sports teams and the student body’s school spirit at games. When you look up “Student section” on the internet, you get many results such as “40+ Creative Student Section Themes”, “Ranking the Top 50 College Football Student Sections”, “95 Student Section Ideas,” and so much more.

Although many student sections are out there, the one at Reading Memorial High School is unique. One great thing about the RMHS student section is how organized it is. Every year, there are captains for the student section – always seniors. The captain’s roles include leading the chants, choosing the theme, deciding which games to go to, and managing the student section’s Instagram account. As a result, the cheers and chants are orchestrated and fluid. Chants you will hear at almost every game include “Let’s Go Rockets” and “01867”. However, they are not always kid-friendly. When the tensions get high, the chants and comments can become inappropriate. However, that’s why Reading’s athletic director, Mr. Zaya, is there. He stands in front of the student section for every home game to keep everything in check. When things get out of hand, he goes up to the top row (where the seniors are) and tells the captains to settle the section down. Before every game, the RMHS Instagram account “rmhsstudentsection” posts all the essential information, including the opponent, location, time, and theme. The post ensures that all the students are on the same page before the game starts.