After football games on Friday nights, students want to be able to rush onto the field to support their Tigers, like in past years, but since COVID, that has been restricted. 

     Due to COVID and all the mandates that followed, a lot of things have changed around the school and at school activities. One of the new rules that have impacted the student section was no longer being allowed to “rush the field” after football games. Not only has this made things feel further from normal but also it has limited spirited. Something about clumping together unites people, even if it’s a big blob of elbowing and shoving. Many parents and students have been confused as to how it’s any different from being all clumped together in the stands. 

     Principal Brian Bailey explained his reasons for this decision.

     “First, it is a dynamic situation meaning people are interacting with many different people for various amounts of time,” Bailey said. He explained that if the school needed to contact trace, they could do it so much easier in the stands than they could on the field after the game. 

     The guidance from OSAA also gave guidance for how to manage spectators in the stands, but clearly separated the playing surface from the grandstands.

     “I know it feels weird to allow large student sections, but generally they are more static and remain in proximity of only a few people,” Bailey said.

     This was hard for students to grasp because other schools were allowing gatherings after games, as in Tualatin at home games. However, the majority of schools didn’t allow it.   

     Bailey indicated how it might possibly be different if the whole student body was vaccinated. 

     “The hard part is determining who is vaccinated, who is not, and who cannot [be] because of medical reasons,” Bailey said. “Because it is too difficult to monitor and manage vaccination status, we couldn’t take that into consideration this year.” He explained that if the community and school continues to get vaccinated, the Tigers would be able to get back to normal traditions. 

     Many students were confused and wondered why rushing the field was allowed at the Homecoming game on Oct. 7 against Oregon City. At the end of the game, students pushed against the fences, thinking they would be able to rush the field. Some students went around the back afterwards and they were seen on the field celebrating.  

     Bailey explained his perspective, “Simply put, it was not [allowed]. I was disappointed that some students chose to come on the field in spite of the clear expectations,” he said. 

     Junior Cameron Steins replied to the question of how he feels about not being able to celebrate with fellow Tigers on the field.

     “Yes, I miss being able to rush onto the field. It makes everyone feel great including the players,” he replied. “I played last season and even then, just a smaller crowd of us in the locker room, was so hype. I miss it.” 

     Many students feel that the typical spirit or hype is lacking. For example the “I believe that we have won” chant, is now taking place in the stands versus on the field after a win. 

     Many students, such as junior Victoria Musangu, also felt that since students crush together in the halls between classes, it doesn’t make sense that they can’t rush the field. 

     “I don’t think it makes sense why we can’t because if we can crowd around in the hallways and eat in mass gatherings in the commons, what’s the difference between that and rushing into the field?” she said. “Plus if we’re outside isn’t it actually safer since we’re not in a closed confined space?” 

     Sophomore Lucas Laws also thinks it is strange that we cannot rush the field because it seems to be the same as in the stands.

     “I think we should be able to rush the field because it’s really not any different from standing in the stands for three hours and some people would like to see friends,” he said.

     Junior Ruby Becker also shared how she doesn’t understand why rushing the field was restricted and how it should be allowed.“I think that rushing the field should be more than okay because we are all mixed in the stands with each other anyways and same with being in the halls during school,” she said. “It doesn’t make any sense not to let us rush the field when it is a tradition.” 

     Students interviewed for this article all hoped to get back to the normal traditions, like rushing the field.