The Sixth Man on the Court

Woodward Academy's student body section is big and loud, and they certainly make an impact on the basketball court every game. With chants like K-N-I-G-H-T-S and D-Fence!, the cheering section is the sixth man on the floor, often propelling the Knights to better play and being a distraction for our opponents.

From a student's perspective, attending basketball games is an escape from the routine. It is time away from campus that offers a sense of normalcy. For most regular season games, a handful of students from each dorm get to attend, which often adds up to about 40-50 students. During this week's first round district playoff game, over 200 students and staff attended the game, outnumbering the other team's cheering section 20 to 1. And they made a significant impact on the outcome!

From a staff's perspective, it is fun to watch the students. They love to be loud and cheer for the players that they know, walk the halls of school with, and in some cases share a dorm with. Our student body makes their presence felt in the best way possible. Every season, we get letters from parents and members of the community of the opposing team, and every letter touches on our sportsmanship and school pride. Here is an example from a couple weeks ago from a parent from the opposing team:

As a parent and also an educator, I want to commend your players and your entire cheering section on their fantastic performance last night. 

Your student section was amazing. They were "loud and proud" and cheering for their team. They used positive cheers and never did I hear a negative comment or cheer. 

The young men on your team exhibited great sportsmanship and restraint, even when they may have felt a call was not a good call. My son commented when he got home that they exhibited the best sportsmanship of all the teams he has played this year. 

I just wanted to share a positive with you and your staff! Thank you for all you do to work with these young men!

As a basketball team and athletic program, we practice and compete to win. But this is an example of winning in life and that is what it means to be a Woodward Academy Knight.