PJ, Hick, and Formal

It’s the return of the student section! After not having any student sections last year, students were so excited to be back cheering on their favorite teams. The class of 2022 has been so supportive of the sports teams, even the ones that are not the main attraction, including cheering on their fellow classmates on their senior nights. Students also attended hockey games, where there usually wasn’t a student section in years past. With so many opportunities to support their school, here are some of the best student section themes!

Theme: Pink out

Sport: Football

Dates: October 1st, 2021

Opponent: Indiana

I’ve always loved the pink out theme because it demonstrates students coming together in support of people battling breast cancer. Along with that, pink out always happens the week of homecoming, which is super fun. Students participate in school spirit themes all week at school, then cheer on the football team on Friday, and attend homecoming the following Saturday. Cheerleaders also sell pink out shirts during school and at the game that most students wear in the student section.

Theme: Whiteout

Sport: boys soccer, football, girls basketball

Dates: October 5th, 2021, October 22, 2021, February 7th, 2022

Opponent: soccer-Kiski, football-Hampton, girls basketball-Mohawk

Whiteout was the theme for most senior nights, and students showed a lot of support and respect for all of the seniors. This theme was really cool on the football, cheer, and band senior night because the student section had white powder that everyone threw up in the air, and it looked really fun. It lightened up the mood because it was pouring almost the entire game and halfway through the seniors’ recognitions.

Theme: Beach/Hawaiian

Sport: football and basketball

Dates: August 27th, 2021 and January 26th, 2022

Opponent: Central Valley (football) and Indiana (basketball)

This theme’s a classic and is always so fun, especially in the winter because you can pretend it’s warm and sunny outside. The theme was beach night for the first in person football game since 2020, and everyone had so much fun being back in the stands supporting their school. Since it was also the start of school, it was almost like one last summer hurray.

Theme: PJ

Sport: basketball and hockey

Dates: December 17th, 2021 (both) and January 28th, 2022 (hockey again)

Opponent: basketball-Deer Lakes, hockey-Shaler and Franklin Regional

Most of the student section cheered on the boys basketball team, then went over to “pack the barn” to support the hockey team in their PJ’s. Honestly, half the school probably wore their pajamas to school anyway. The second PJ night for hockey was on their senior night after another basketball game. This theme is always fun, and Knoch students are really good at participating in it.

Theme: Jersey

Sport: Hockey and girls basketball

Dates: December 3, 2021 and February 25th, 2022

Opponent: hockey-Penn Trafford, girls basketball-Montour

This day was a nationwide jersey day in honor of eight year old Jackson Sparks, who was killed when an SUV ran through a Christmas parade. Students were encouraged to wear their jerseys to school and then to the hockey game later in the night in support of Sparks. Also, for the girls basketball game, it was their first round of playoffs, and I’ve never seen a more packed student section. It was filled from bottom to top, and everyone was shoulder to shoulder. It was so nice seeing my peers be so supportive of the girls team, especially since there’s usually no student section for them, and I’m sure they really appreciated it..

Theme: Orange out

Sport: basketball

Dates: December 14, 2021

Opponent: Hampton

This theme was very special because it was chosen in honor of junior Veanna Pollard beating cancer! Instead of a halftime performance, the eighth grade, JV, and Varsity cheerleaders all stood in a circle around Veanna and listened to her journey with cancer, then handed her the orange ribbons that were worn on their uniforms in honor of her.

Theme: Hick

Sport: football and girls basketball

Dates: October 8th, 2021 and March 1st, 2022

Opponent: football-Mars, basketball- Southmoreland

This theme is perfect for Knoch and allows students to embrace their unique Butler county culture. Usually for this theme, the student section is filled with jorts, flannels, and snapbacks. This theme gives the other team a nice inside look into what Knoch is all about.

Theme: Formal

Sport: boys and girls basketball

Dates: December 21, 2021 and March 9th, 2022

Opponent: boys-Burrell, girls-St. Mary’s

I think this theme is so much fun and very different, however, the first time, some people didn’t participate, which kinda ruined it in my opinion. However, the girl’s States game, which was the second time the theme was formal night, was so much better though. It’s always fun to dress up, and it allows students to get a second use of their homecoming outfits!