Everyone can attest to the lack of school spirit and overall morale in Schreiber this school year.  The enthusiasm displayed at the annual Fall Pep Rally was relatively weak in comparison to years past, and there was no “sea of blue and white” present in the stands to cheer on the athletes before homecoming weekend. 

On the other hand, the “Friday Night Lights” game, which took place on Oct. 19, demonstrated how Schreiber’s sports teams do have the potential to encourage a much-needed boost in Viking pride. There, the Vikings devastated the Hicksville team by over two touchdowns.  The stands were well over capacity, filled with both students and parents, and many had to line up along the fence of Seeber Field to catch a glimpse of the game.  The roaring crowd nearly drowned out the sound of the pump-up music being played from the field.

There are ways that Schreiber can ensure that the school’s sports teams are consistently met with as much pride and unity as there was during “Friday Night Lights.”  For instance, any athletes feel that the hand-me-down uniforms that they are provided with don’t suffice, and are rather intrigued by the idea of customized uniforms. The jerseys would still say “Port Washington” or “Vikings” on the front, but would be unique, as each individual athlete would have their last name written on the back.  The boys volleyball team adopted these recently, which was very well-received. 

Although the athletes have to pay for the jersey’s out of their own wallet, the uniforms bring a sense of rejuvenation to the team.  Additionally, coaches can give the athletes the option of designing their own uniforms, which can be a great team-bonding activity.  On top of that, custom jerseys would most likely be purchased through Arena Sports, so the custom jerseys would also benefit a local small business. 

In sum, The Schreiber Times believes that giving the teams a much-needed cosmetic upgrade with the adoption of customized jerseys would give a huge morale boost to Schreiber’s hardworking student-athletes.