At Friday night games, while all the other fans around me are earnestly calling out cheers, I only seem to say one thing—“What?”

My knowledge of sports is basic at best. I am actually an athlete (I run for the school), but Track and Cross Country are about as straightforward as it gets.

My ignorance of sports such as baseball and football has naturally kept me far away from watching ESPN and visiting stadiums. This year, however, I took on the daunting task of actually attending Spartan games.

So on Friday nights, my new orange season pass in hand, I trudge over to WS to attend football games in the fall and now basketball games in the winter. Here is what I’ve learned:

Step One: Go with the flow. As a rule of thumb, cheer when others cheer. I am embarrassed to admit that on multiple occasions I have cheered for the wrong team. Apparently, the ball has to be going a certain direction to be considered good for our team. If you do happen to be in this situation, play it off like you’re a super-fan; stand behind the Spartans even when they are down. Also, if a member of the team gets tackled, or in basketball slides across the court, do not overreact. Other fans quickly got annoyed with me pounding questions like “Is he ok?” “Why aren’t they stopping the game?!” and “That was so mean!” Expect to be reminded that this is a game and it will be physical.

Step Two: Stay as far away from the other team as possible. This seems pretty obvious, but at an away basketball game at South County, some Stallions nestled their way into the guest side. Hearing all their negative comments did not jive well with my Spartan Pride, and our team’s spirit was met with glares.

Step Three: Go even when the team might lose. It’s all fine and dandy to attend games that predict a good outcome, or that garner a lot of spectators, such as the Homecoming game. It is at the games where a loss seems inevitable and the stands are empty, however, that Spartan Spirit needs to come into play.There is no science behind this, but I firmly believe that the more fans in attendance, the more motivation the team has. Cheering pumps adrenaline, and having the whole school watch encourages players to bring their “A” game for fear of embarrassment. A full stadium may not help us win a hopeless game, but, if nothing else, it might close the scoring gap.

Step Four: Learn the lingo.

At the beginning of the football season I knew what a touchdown and an interception are, and that was about it. Now I know words like “Hail Mary” and “Bubble Screen.” Just don’t ask me what they mean.

Step Five: Go with friends. It makes the dull moments much more interesting. Games are a chance to hang out with your friends, and there’s nothing like school-wide bonding during a freezing, rainy football game.

Step Six: If nothing else, there is the dance team. If, come second quarter, you are feeling severe migraines from all the ball switching, plays, and general confusion, remember in a few minutes the dance team will be performing one of their first rate routines, something you can just watch and appreciate. No thinking necessary.

Step Seven: Get into it. This is by far the most important. Feel the tension during free throws and the excitement when our team intercepts the ball. When you get attached to the game, it makes exerting the effort so much more worth it. Even with over 2,000 students at our school, everyone can recognize the players. The team is representing our school, so everyone is really a part of it.

In the end, I have developed a new understanding of two sports, but even more, I have gained some much needed Spartan Spirit. It’s fun to expand your horizons; maybe in the spring I’ll even try learning baseball or lacrosse. There are a lot of attacks on our school spirit, but we have a lot to be proud of. Our school credentials extend past sports. We also have stellar music, drama and forensics departments that could use some Spartan Spirit. We should all support each other in all of our endeavors.

While you aren’t going to find me watching NFL games or comparing March Madness brackets any time soon, you will find me at all the Spartan games cheering hard, hopefully, for the right team.