The gym is filled with sound. Screams of celebration and loss emanate from a student section with a 10 year history and a bit of a rocky past. McClatchy’s Legion comes together for what feels like the first time in a long time at February 19th’s playoff game against St. Mary’s of Stockton that ultimately knocked McClatchy’s women’s basketball out of the sections tournament.
McClatchy students packed over half of the bleachers section.
Less than a week earlier, in one of the first playoff games of the season for the Lady Lions, this same student section took up one portion of one section.
“Back in the ‘90s it was a packed house. I want to say the drop off was only in the last couple of years. But all the same, in the last couple years, whenever we got to the playoffs, things changed.” said McClatchy’s Athletic Director Robert Feickert in the hours before the game. Feickert is referring to the student turn out spike that occurs when a team makes it to the playoffs.
These heavily attended playoff games usually see an increase in ticket sales over regular season games.
Feickert explains that most teams do get a spike in student turn out when the playoffs begin, but in recent years, turn out at both regular and playoff games have shrunk. “This year the only games that we had an organized student section was the Kennedy home game on January the 25th for basketball. For football, we only had 5 home games, and I think two of them were an organized event to where the student section was there.”
During regular season games, ticket sales go directly to the athletic department to cover equipment, officials, and athletic training supplies. Though, during playoff games all revenue goes directly to CIF Sac Joaquin Sections, with no cash flow going to McClatchy. Meaning the spike in revenue experienced during playoff season cannot be used by the athletic department.
“The playoff games make a little more money just because it’s a bigger game when we get to the playoffs, we’re playing an opponent that also qualified for the playoffs, as compared to a regular season game. But in my thinking, there shouldn’t be that much of a difference because all our games should be supported by our students,” said Feickert.
Feickert suggests that something at McClatchy’s core has temporarily been lost, causing the lack of turn out to regular season and even playoff games, “I think it’s part of the culture of the school that needs to be addressed.”
In recent years, McClatchy has experienced its fair share of culture-shifting events. Two walkouts, racially charged controversies, bomb threats, and a lawsuit or two, namely. In recent months alone the school has experienced two shooting threats and a deep involvement in the mounting tension between the District and the Sacramento City Teachers Association.
Walk down the halls and hear snippets of conversation: “McClatchy is trash” or “I hate this school” are not uncommon phrases tossed around on campus.
One October morning, Theo Dopkins (‘19) discussed with The Prospector the past controversies McClatchy has experienced. “Even though I love this school and I love most of the people that go here, it reminds me that we’re still all normal people. There’s still people that make stupid mistakes, and they don’t think when they do things, and they’re still kids. Those things aren’t okay and they shouldn’t be accepted, but I don’t think it represents us as as a school.”
Dopkins, along with Madeline Feickert (‘19), is a Legion leader that holds out hope for the over 10 year old student section and the culture of McClatchy.
“I think there’s a lot of people who probably feel guilty…they see the stuff online they see the stuff in the papers, they see the way they’re talked about and then they probably feel bad about it, but I think what people are forgetting is that they’re still individuals, they still can make a change by being themselves and doing the right thing and also still going to school here,” said Dopkins.
McClatchy has not always been this way. For years, the student section was packed. “When you walked into the gym, the [players] were completely astonished by how many people were there,” said Feickert. “Parents came over afterwards and told me that it was the best experience they have ever had because of how packed it was, how loud it was.’”
This Legion of old was not built from an eager and raucous student body, but from a year that began in tragedy. At the beginning of the 2007 school year, five McClatchy students passed away. This same year, girl’s volleyball, boy’s soccer, and girl’s basketball all made it to the playoffs. For some of these teams, it was the first time in a long time. Legion was founded in the midst of this year, one where students clung to the catharsis of a winning team to boost the spirit and the culture of the school. “Each game just grew and grew, the whole section was full,” reminisced Feickert.
Tragedy built Legion. Now Legion looks to put McClatchy’s more recent tragedies in the past, “People are still excited to go to this school, and I’m still trying to do my part to get people excited about doing the right thing and going to this school and just being good people and good students,” said Dopkins.
Though culture may not be the only thing deterring students from coming out to games. The question of outreach was brought up by students and staff alike. “I feel like more efforts could be made to expand the audience we reach. The majority of the time it’s the people who signed up in ASB and although it’s expected for ASB to come out we should have more people from the general public come,” said Madeline Feickert.
“I know there’s roughly 100 students in ASB and I think that it’s there job as a class to create the culture here at McClatchy,” said Robert Feickert.
As the Lady Lions continue into the playoffs, now looking towards a possible state championship game, turn out continues to grow.
“I haven’t been to the games all season, mainly because I have other sports but we have to support our teams to make them feel more motivated and encourage them to play better during the games,” said Reagan Marr (‘22) at a recent playoff game.
“What are you gonna do cheer for another school? Like no. And like you go to this school so just have a good time and cheer it on. Why not?” Dopkins said at a playoff game in early February.
“I don’t even like this school. I’m just having fun and making a fool of myself,” added Maya Steinhart (‘19).
For now, Legion sets its sights on expansion. “Until we have every single student, and every single teacher coming to the game there’s never gonna be a full Legion. It’s always gonna be, ‘we could be bigger,’” said Dopkins.
The question of ‘how’ seems far from the minds of those that keep hope for McClatchy. The question for the awakening lion only comes down to when: “It doesn’t matter if it’s not possible because we’re still going to try. It’s something we should strive for,” finished Dopkins.
Regardless of school politics and culture, it seems we have basketball games to win, and seeds of hope to be planted. The Lion can only roar louder.