With Camas students’ profound love of football, the Camas High School (CHS) football stands are always a chaotic and frustrating place to navigate. Many predict that the blackout game this Friday will be especially packed. Historically, students have organized themselves into sections based on their grades: from back to front in ascending seniority.
However, in recent games, this hierarchical seating has been problematic–CHS juniors and underclassmen have been found sitting in the senior section. Despite the Camas Associated Student Body (ASB) Instagram account’s reel about football game etiquette some students have not been adhering to the social agreement.
“We don’t require kids to sit in any specific section at the football game. [It is] first come first serve for all of our seating, no matter where it’s out there,” CHS Athletic Director Stephen Baranowski said. “If everybody follows the etiquette, that’s great, but we’re not going to be in the business of telling people where they can and cannot sit at the game.”
Although the CHS administrators have no restrictions on seating, students still feel strongly about their self-assigned seating chart.
“[The senior section] is pretty packed–only seniors should sit there,” senior Troy Bohmer said. “It’s a part of the whole [high school] experience.” Bohmer also thinks the student sections should be exclusive to students to avoid overcrowding in the stands.
Many seniors at CHS prefer to have separate seating as they can cheer in the front row and possibly catch a Papermaker-themed shirt from the cheerleaders. In previous years, many of the students followed the ASB-guided etiquette, so some seniors feel upset by this change.
Some juniors and underclassmen also feel that students should be separated from one another based on grade. Many also have problems with adults sitting in their section.
“It was just a mess,” junior Dicey Delano said. “Parents were all over the other section so a bunch of juniors got pushed into the senior section and then seniors weren’t able to sit there.”
Even though the student section can be packed and possibly unorganized, it is crucial to keep cheering on the CHS football team.
“The student section makes me more influenced [to win] and energized during a game, and it makes the other team crumble,” senior and football player Spencer Pearly said. “The student section is very passionate.”
Regardless of seating, it is encouraged that all students be respectful, responsible, safe, and uplifting towards players while attending CHS football games.
