In December of 2023, then-junior Matt Malloy wrote a piece in this publication calling out his fellow peers for not showing up to Mount Carmel sporting events. Almost two full years later, progress has been made, but the student section isn’t as full as it should be.
MC students, from seniors all the way down to freshmen, play a crucial role in supporting their classmates at sporting events. From basketball to football, and down to the less popular sports like lacrosse and hockey, the students’ attendance and enthusiasm help maintain the MC standard of athletic excellence.
MC athletics have constantly been the best in the state, and despite the excellence on the field, students fail to show up to support their brothers. Head football coach Jordan Lynch ’09 is a firm believer in how much student involvement matters. “That’s what makes home-field advantage home-field advantage,” he says. “You know the fan support and the momentum throughout the game. When the student section is going crazy, it is a huge advantage to us.”
For the football games, the student section is located in the west end zone. The Caravan defense defends that end zone twice per game, and when it gets a big stop down there, the students go nuts. “We had a huge fourth down stop on the goal line down there against Brother Rice,” Coach Lynch recalls. “I think our student section played a huge factor in that play.”
Student energy can affect not only the Caravan, but the visiting team as well. “Having a lot of kids there, having students yell at [the opposing team] is when things start to turn bad for them, the momentum starts to switch,” says Coach Lynch, who also notes how the presence of students “gives us a boost for sure. It’s a good pick-me-up to have the student section.”
Someone who supports Coach Lynch’s perspective is Jon Akin, an MC senior and someone who frequently attends Caravan football games. Akin explained one crucial thing for maintaining crowd energy.
“Leading by example is keeping the underclassmen and everyone else in check,” he says. “We have to keep the crowd alive even when the game is a blowout.” His favorite memory from this year also comes from the Brother Rice game. “We were all there in unison,” he remembers. “Everything about us was falling into place perfectly.”
Cheering on classmates is more than boosting the performance of the athletic teams, it is about establishing brotherhood and pride in the MC community. Student Body President TJ Kolke emphasized that the students’ attendance shows the support students have for their brothers.
“We try to instill that brotherhood that you’re supporting your friends, your classmates, and your brothers at Mount Carmel.”
He asked students to consider how they would feel if their peers came and supported them at their game. “Would you want them to come to a soccer game, or a hockey game? Being able to show them what supporting each other means.”
Word of mouth plays a key role in getting students to show up to the games. Talk to your friends, get them to go to the football game. Get a carpool together for that far basketball game. Talk to Kolke about getting a fan bus for a far away game. Students are the only ones who can make a difference. Supporting each other and bonding together is what the MC experience is about.
Although attendance has improved, there is still room for growth. Kolke highlighted the progress the students have made. “Going into this year, I really put an effort in trying to get kids out to the big games,” he says. “People are not only going to the game, but they’re staying the whole game.”
Students leaving the games early has always been an issue. During the first half of a game, the student section is full, but then when the second half comes around, often a lot fewer students are there. Kolke also noted that the freshmen and the sophomores have been leading the way. “I think that the freshmen this year set a positive example of wanting to get out there. Those guys are at the games week in and week out.”
Though no fault of theirs, the Caravan Broadcasting Network makes it easy for students to watch the games from afar on their phones or personal devices. Some students would rather get together in someone’s house and watch the game there instead of coming to it in person.
“It’s tough this day in age with the games being on TV, too,” says Coach Lynch. “You can just sit at home and watch them.”
By showing awareness, encouragement, and school spirit students can work together to revive the student section. As TJ Kolke noted, showing students what school spirit is through social media and having themed events such as themed dress down days has increased the student section attendance.
“Having easy themes people can follow gets them riled up, and excited to go to these games,” says Kolke.
Progress has been made, major progress at that, but there is still work to be done. Students need to continue to show up to the games, even though it’s easy not to.
MC’s athletic success is inseparable from the energy in the student section. Every cheer, every chant, and every student present contributes to the team’s morale and builds bonds amongst the MC community. Whether it is a football game, basketball game, or even a lacrosse game, student involvement matters.
“Instill that brotherhood that you’re supporting your friends,” says Kolke.
Students, if you truly value your school, and want to be active in the MC community, show up and support your brothers. This year has been better, the Rice and Rita games were both full of students, but we can do better.
Lets keep it up and support the football team throughout the playoffs, and pack the stands for the basketball season. The Caravan have some big home games coming up that everyone should show up for.
