New leadership fuels Panther Pit
There are two rules when walking into the sea of spirit at NPHS: stand and be loud. The student section of sporting events, the Panther Pit, unites the most spirited students for an atmosphere unlike any other. In order to coordinate all that occurs with the Pit, two students are selected each year to head the masses of students.
This year, the torch was passed to seniors Randy Wright and Sam Herbert. Both Wright and Herbert have been involved with the Pit since freshman year, attending as many sporting events as possible.
“When I found out what the Pit was my freshman year, I just fell in love with it and there hasn’t been a game where I haven’t had one of the most fun Fridays ever.” Wright said, “I’ve never had a bad experience in the Pit and I told myself as a freshman I want to lead this thing one day and get it as big as I can. It is even better that I have one of my best friends doing it with me.”
At the beginning of each week, Wright and Herbert first look to see whether games are home or away. When the football team plays locally, the first thing on their minds is to make the upcoming Friday as fun as the last. Thus the two minds collaborate on a theme for that week; themes can range from white-out, wearing all white, to beach wear. Once the designated theme is decided, Wright and Herbert storm to social media to inform those who wish to join the Pit for the given game.
While Wright and Herbert were named the designated leaders of the Pit, that has not stopped other students from helping lead the masses. Amy Petersen, senior, has also been involved with the Pit since her freshman year, making sure to go ‘all-out’ every game she attends.
“There is something about just screaming your butt off and releasing everything and just that community sense really brings everyone together and I think that is really cool,” Petersen said.
The Pit, an independent organization on campus, works each week with ASG and the school administration. Prior to each home event, with help from ASG, a tailgate is held in front of the Performing Arts Center to get the student body ready to cheer for their team. Wright and Herbert lead the cheers and all that happens in the student section, but in order to provide a fun and safe time, they make sure to inform Carly Adams, Assistant Principal of Activities, each week to keep her informed of all future expectations.
“So they function on their own with assistance from ASG, so I’m just helping oversee it. (Wright and Herbert) come to check in with me making sure their plan is ok, I just remind them of all the rules there are,” Adams said.
Each week, Herbert and Wright are attempting to provide their fellow students a fun and memorable night cheering for their team, allowing any student the chance to do so if they wish to participate.
“We are really open to anyone being involved and if you have a lot of spirit then we aren’t going to be like ‘oh we are the leaders back down.’ We want everyone to be involved because that is what really makes the pit lit,” Herbert said.
