Homecoming at GHS
 
As the greatly anticipated Homecoming week comes to an end, I would like to reflect on the variety of unique and exciting after school activities that took place at Grandview High School. Monday started off with the very competitive and energetic Macho Man Volleyball competition. Macho Man was a single elimination tournament where the first round had Seniors playing Freshmen and the second Juniors playing Sophomores. To continue with tradition the upperclassmen advanced to the second round and the Junior boys, of course, came out on top.

Following Macho Man, the next activity that GHS students participated in was the Homecoming Parade on Wednesday. The parade started at one end of town and traveled to the high school, at the other end of town. The parade was filled with floats decorated by each grade level, our phenomenal marching band, cheer squad, sports teams, and many clubs at Grandview High. Immediately after the parade PowderPuff football took place, which the Juniors also won this year. PowderPuff followed the same format as Macho Man, and again the Juniors took the dub.
 
As the week slowly came to an end, the last activity was Friday Night Lights which everyone eagerly awaited all week. There's just something about the smell of hot dogs filling the thick cold fall air as the smoke from the grill drifts across the field that the players and fans love and look forward to. There's the indescribable feeling of screaming at the top of your lungs as you cheer your classmates onto victory, which cannot be adequately described in words, but only by experiencing it. The best part about Homecoming is when the school comes together after a week full of competition between grades and truly cheers as one big crowd and family. They don't just cheer for their grade level as they did all week throughout the class competitions; they cheer with pride for our team, for our school, and for our community. 
 
Throughout the Homecoming game Christian Gomez, Grandview’s senior running back, led the hounds to a 49-0 win with four rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. After every Grandview touchdown fireworks were lit off, leaving behind the smell of sulfur and the loud bangs sounding like a warzone. Directly after the game is the dance. The dance at GHS is not your typical Homecoming dance. Here at Grandview it is a non-formal dance right after the football game. Despite the dance taking place right after the game, Grandview has really adopted this unique dance time and truly does love it!

CWAC Sportsmanship:

As regular seasons start to wind down and district playoffs begin it is important to remember to always approach opposing teams, schools and communities with the utmost respect. In District 5 of the WIAA the Central Washington Athletic Conference (CWAC), the whole league emphasizes sportsmanship to the students themselves. Before the Fall and Winter seasons, the CWAC makes a point of having a “Sportsmanship Forum” to discuss and communicate with hand selected students from each of our league’s schools. At these forums, sportsmanship is stressed not only between the lines but in the stands. Sportsmanship in student sections and the crowd is a focal point. The CWAC over what is expected and what is unacceptable from the student sections and crowds at all sporting events. Also at these forums our athletic directors try and put the students in their shoes, they do so by chanting the rude and disrespectful chants they have witnessed first hand at sporting events. And of course, the students who now are acting as the athletic directors are shocked and come to the realization that something needs to be done and change needs to come with student sections and crowds at sporting events.

Expanding on the idea of promoting sportsmanship, the CWAC is holding a Sportsmanship forum in the near future for the Winter seasons. At this sportsmanship forum I will plan and introduce the campaign, “Our Reason Why.’ The LEAP committee is attempting to spread word of this campaign throughout the state. This campaign is coming to action to promote sports and clubs throughout the state. Not only will this promote sports and clubs but this campaign will help the WIAA be able to connect with their student participants and relate their reason for participating in extracurricular activities. Going into this Sportsmanship Forum I plan to ask each athletic director throughout the CWAC to join the LEAP committee and the WIAA to find their reasons when it comes to why they participate in extracurricular activities. Then, we as a whole league will discuss why we play the sports we play. It is important to remember why others are playing, and most importantly why it is important to maintain a positive playing and cheering environment.