On Friday, Aug. 26, students gathered in Wildcat One during the new Flex Time hour to sit and watch performances, games and meet new foreign exchange students during the annual pep rally.

Every year, an annual beginning of the year pep rally is held in the main gym. For many, this is an exciting event to get a taste of what the Wildcat’s spirit is all about and what the fall season of sports and activities has to offer. The beginning of the rally started off with the band playing and lead to dance and cheer performances, at the end a game was played by groups of students in different sports and clubs.

 “We were welcomed into the gym by the band playing loudly,” freshman Kynzly Farr said. “I didn’t expect the pep rally to be that fun. It started with a little bit of cheer and then progressed into the dance team getting together and performing for everyone and both were super entertaining.” 

After the cheer, band and dance performances, to further the experience for the students, varsity students and club leaders were pulled from their teams and put into groups of four to compete in a relay race game.

“The pep rallies always have super fun games as a way to help students connect and bond with each other,” sophomore Ruby Hinsley said. “This year we did a relay race where the objective of the game was to get a number of balls inside a hula hoop without using your hands. It was fun cheering on the groups participating and seeing the competitiveness that West’s students have.”

Many students believe that the pep rally has helped create excitement for the fall activities season and a kickoff for the year. Head athletic director Lance Smith says that is exactly the plan.

“We believe that pep rallies are a piece of our whole strategy for increasing and maintaining engagement, energy, and school spirit,” Smith said. “It is a good way to mark the kickoff of the school year and of the activities season.” 

The pep rally ended with a win from the group of girls in the relay race and introductions given by the new foreign exchange students who came up to the stage for the Cats to meet them.

Students left the gym excited and awaiting the fall activities season and the new school year.