What’s Up with College Prep Sports Culture?

By Wells R. '27

It’s no secret that College Prep isn’t a sports school. People are drawn to College Prep for many reasons: its academics, community, teachers, campus, and so much more. One thing noticeably missing from that list, though, is sports. In fact, people come to College Prep for almost every reason except sports. 

Despite the lack of emphasis on athletics, College Prep sports teams are actually pretty competitive. For example, the men's soccer team is currently ranked as the number three team in California (although they do play in the fall while the majority of schools play in the winter), and the girls’ swimming team routinely beats schools with thousands of students. Even with this success, if you came to any given College Prep sports game, you’d find the stands almost entirely empty (with the exception of a few parents who’ve come to watch their kids play). But why is this? Why does College Prep have such a weak sports culture? 

After speaking with students across different grades and interests, I found that their reasons for skipping games were remarkably consistent. Some blamed logistics, citing the fact that aside from basketball and volleyball, most games are held off-campus and difficult to reach, especially for those who can’t drive. Others admitted that because no one else goes, they don’t either. Most commonly, though, students pointed to the heavy workload from school, which they felt meant that they either didn’t have time to go to games or they simply didn’t have the energy. 

To give credit where credit is due, the Spirit Committee and Athletic Department have done a great job trying to change that. They’ve built hype around games through events like Cougar Night and Dig Pink, and for once, the bleachers are actually full (even if it’s only for a few games per season). But even when the stands are full, the energy doesn’t always follow. Students just aren’t that into it. Even during the action, a significant portion of them watch in silence, talking amongst themselves, scrolling on their phones, with only the occasional cheer. 

Part of the problem, however, lies in the games themselves. Each heavily promoted game (Cougar Night, Dig Pink, and Senior Night) hasn’t been very close: twice College Prep won handily, and once they lost in straight sets. Blowouts are hard to get invested in, but the spirit isn’t really there to begin with, even when the games are close. 

So, what can be done? When asked what might actually get them to attend more games, students offered plenty of ideas. Some were simple: free food, easier transportation to and from games, or more advertising. Others felt they would be more inclined to attend games if there was more energy and leadership from the crowd, such as organized chants. Several said they’d come if the games were held right after school instead of later in the evening, or if their friends were already planning to go. Ultimately, though, the message is clear: students want to feel that going to a game is easy, fun, and worth their time. The problem, though, is that everyone seems to be waiting for someone to make that happen, so much so that it’s become a cycle. Everyone wants to go to games if they are fun, but they don’t think games are fun because no one goes to them. To break that cycle, people need to take the initiative. The Spirit Committee and the Athletic Department are taking great steps in building a stronger sports culture at College Prep, but real school spirit can’t be organized from the top down; it has to come from the students themselves. After all, no one likes to go to games where they aren’t having fun, no matter how many people are there.