You Can Create a Thriving Cheer Section
January 8, 2013
By Carly Joseph
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep senior
This time last year, I spent an entire cold winter evening alone in my room on the computer watching the surprisingly large number of Battle of the Fans entries.
I remember being amazed not only by the number of entries, as it was the first year of BOTF, but by the spirit, participation, and positivity of those schools as well.
Though it was both exciting and inspiring to witness such an overload of school spirit all at once, a hint of jealousy crept into my mind. “My school could never do this,” I thought.
I wondered what it would be like to be part of a school that actually had a decent student section. Throughout my first three years of high school, it seemed as if most kids were usually too busy to come to football and basketball games, myself included. Especially since students attending my school, Notre Dame Prep, come from all different cities, the drive back out to school for the game was always a convenient excuse not to attend.
Even with a slightly pessimistic approach for changing my school’s general attitude toward attending games for this year, I learned that with the help of other students and a lot of organization, the student section at NDP could be transformed from essentially non-existent to the place to be on a Friday night.
Aided by the success of our football team and a group of junior and senior boys who really started to embrace the idea of having a good student section, everything really started to pick up. We held weekly Varsity Club meetings to decide the theme for each game, and even formed a designated group of student section leaders called the Irish Guard, who are responsible for leading cheers and keeping everyone paying attention to the game. We also started to promote the games and the theme for each game on Twitter, which really helped remind students to come out to games and get excited to support our teams.
The NDP student section has by no means reached its full potential, but it is definitely moving forward and will only improve in the years to come. Despite the fact that our student section may not be the best in the state (yet) or even have enough organization to create an entry for this year’s BOTF competition, I think that our transformation truly shows that any school can create a thriving student section – if they really want it to happen.
Whether your school has an impressive student section or maybe needs a little help starting up, keep in mind that organization and positivity are the keys to making it better.
Click for more information on the Battle of the Fans contest. Deadline for school entries is Saturday.
Carly Joseph, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep senior
- Sport: Cross country
- Non-sports activities: Varsity Club, Spanish National Honor Society
- Favorite class: AP Spanish
- Up next: Joseph will attend Michigan Technological University and study biomedical engineering.
- Career sports highlight: Running a personal best at my cross country Regional (21:15) this fall.
- Pump-up jam: "Round and Round" by Imagine Dragons
- Must-see TV: "Dexter"
- Favorite film: "She's the Man"
PHOTO: The Pontiac Notre Dame Prep student cheering section roots on its football team during "Neon Night" this fall. (Photo courtesy of Carly Joseph.)
Performance of the Week: Mendon's Cienna Nightingale
June 19, 2025
Cienna Nightingale ♦ Mendon
Junior ♦ Softball
Nightingale became the fourth sibling from her family to win an MHSAA Finals championship, doing so in historic style. She was one of three Mendon players with two hits and drove in a team-high four runs to help the Hornets past Unionville-Sebewaing 11-1 in the Division 4 championship game at Secchia Stadium. The win clinched Mendon’s first Finals title in softball and ended USA’s five-season championship streak.
An all-state first-team selection this season and as a sophomore, Cienna joined three siblings in winning Finals titles for Mendon – her brother CJ was on a football champion in 2007, brother Chance won a football title in 2011 and sister Cierra won a Finals in volleyball in 2018. Cienna, the Hornets’ first baseman, also had a team-high two hits in her team’s 4-2 Semifinal win over Hillman to start the weekend. Nightingale also plays volleyball and basketball.
@mhsaasports 🥎POW: Cienna Nightingale #softball #mendon #hornets #finals #champion #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports 🥎POW: Cienna Nightingale #bridgerton #alani #book #tiktok #phone #red #heart #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
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MHSAA.com's "Performance of the Week" features are powered by MI Student Aid, a division within the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
Previous 2024-25 honorees
June 12: Shaelyn Perry, South Lyon United girls lacrosse - Report
June 5: Brock Morris, Southfield Christian track & field - Report
May 30: Chloe Qin, Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook Kingswood tennis - Report
May 23: Drew Goik, Bay City Western golf - Report
May 15: Sydney Kuhn, Saginaw Swan Valley track & field - Report
May 8: Ryan Bosch, Fruitport baseball - Report
May 1: Jackson Lam, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix track & field - Report
April 25: Isabelle Horvath, Bangor softball - Report
April 18: Presley Jones, Sterling Heights Stevenson soccer - Report
April 11: Olivia Jasniewicz, Troy soccer - Report
March 27: Katie Spicer, Fowler basketball - Report
March 21: Moses & Markus Blackwell; Warren Lincoln basketball - Report
March 13: Keyshawn Summerville, Lansing Sexton basketball - Report
March 6: Maggie Buurma, Fowlerville wrestling - Report
Feb. 28: Maren Studt, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep skiing - Report
Feb. 21: Olive Krueger, Marquette swimming - Report
Feb. 14: Hunter Lemmon, Fraser swimming - Report
Feb. 7: Aubrey Hillard, Rochester competitive cheer - Report
Jan. 31: Wyatt Spalo, Reed City wrestling - Report
Jan. 24: Olivia Flynn, Harbor Springs basketball - Report
Jan. 17: Levi Rozema, Holland Christian swimming - Report
Jan. 10: McRecco McFadden, Burton Bentley basketball - Report
Dec. 18: Nash Leonard, Bay City Western hockey - Report
Dec. 11: Blake Cosby, Dundee wrestling - Report
Dec. 4: Keaton Hendricks, Zeeland West football - Report
Nov. 29: Kate Simon, East Grand Rapids swimming - Report
Nov. 22: Ella Kokaly, Essexville Garber volleyball - Report
Nov. 15: Caroline Bryan, Grosse Pointe South swimming - Report
Nov. 8: Kaylie Livingston, Whitmore Lake cross country - Report
Oct. 25: Oliver Caldwell, Grand Rapids West Catholic tennis - Report
Oct. 18: Alex Graham, Detroit Cass Tech football - Report
Oct. 11: Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4: Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26: Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19: TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12: Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6: Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30: Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report
(Photos by Nicci Plummer/Behind the Lens Photography.)