There is nothing quite like high school sports in the fall. The Friday night lights, the sound of the marching band, the smell of concession stand popcorn drifting across the field. In Oklahoma, football takes center stage, but the crack of the bat at a fast pitch softball game, the pop of the glove at a fall baseball tournament, or the squeaking of sneakers at a volleyball match carries the same electricity.
High school sports are a community gathering. They are where generations meet… grandparents with stadium cushions, parents balancing nachos and cameras, and little kids imitating the athletes on the field. In many ways, they are a weekly town reunion. But with that excitement comes a responsibility we sometimes overlook: how we, as fans, conduct ourselves.
Sportsmanship isn’t just for the players and coaches. It belongs in the stands, too.
There is a line between spirited cheering and targeted jeering. Cheering for your team builds pride. Cheering against the other team usually does the opposite. No official, player or coach has ever changed a call because someone in the third row shouted about their eyesight. But young athletes do notice the difference between a supportive roar and a cutting remark.
Fans sometimes forget that the opponents on the field are kids. Just teenagers juggling homework, college prep, practices, school clubs, church youth group, and part-time jobs. The pitcher who just walked in a run is still learning. The wide receiver who dropped the pass might have been working late last night. They are not professionals, and they should never be treated like they are.
Officials can be easy targets. They are also essential. Without referees, umpires and line judges, there is no game. Most are out there for modest pay because they love sports and want to give back. Mistakes happen, just like they happen on the field and in the stands. If you think officiating is easy, there’s a striped shirt or a blue polo waiting for you at the OSSAA office.
Adults like to talk about how sports teach lessons in character, discipline and teamwork. But kids don’t only learn from coaches. They watch how adults act in the stands. They hear what is said after a tough loss. They notice when a parent thanks the umpire or congratulates the other team’s pitcher.
High school sports are supposed to be fun. They are also supposed to be educational. The bleachers can either reinforce that lesson or undercut it.
Good sportsmanship spreads. When a student section leads chants that are creative, positive and loud, it sets the tone for the whole stadium. When parents clap for an injured player on the opposing team, it reminds everyone that competition is about respect as much as victory.
On the flip side, negativity spreads just as quickly. A parent berating an official often gives permission for others to pile on. A sarcastic cheer can turn into a chorus. Before long, the entire environment shifts from supportive to toxic. That is not what high school sports should be.
For many athletes, high school sports will be the pinnacle of their athletic careers. A state championship medal is wonderful, but so is simply suiting up under the lights or hearing your name announced at the plate. These are memories they will carry for a lifetime. Fans are part of that memory.
Do you want your student-athlete to remember encouragement echoing from the stands, or arguments that overshadowed the game?
A challenge for this season As the 2025 fall sports season kicks off, here’s a challenge for every fan: cheer with passion, but also with good intentions. Be loud. Be proud. But be positive. Treat officials with respect. Remember that athletes on both sides are still learning. Show the kind of sportsmanship you hope your kids will carry into their own adult lives.
Sports are competition, yes. But more than that, they are community. They bring us together. And the way we act in the stands says as much about our communities as the scoreboard does.
So cheer. Cheer until your voice goes hoarse. But cheer in a way that leaves everyone — win or lose — glad they were there.
Be kind to your neighbors Be kind to your pets And be a good sport