Rogers High School is a wonderful high school full of students who show up and show out with energy at school pep rallies.

On the outside, pep rallies are very hectic, and they provide a very energetic atmosphere. But, on the inside, they have a different vibe.

Pep rallies look entirely different to the people working behind the scenes. So many people put in lots of effort before the big day, working towards a flawless execution. Deciding what to perform is the first step. All performance material is posted to a Google Classroom for the athletes to learn. Being on time and productive for every practice is crucial. Although this may seem routine and repetitive to the athletes performing, it is way more than it seems.

“Prior to a pep rally day, a schedule is sent out to all coaches and staff involved in the pep rally to make sure we have a game plan,” said Danielle Ross, Cheer Coach.

The RHS cheer and dance teams are a huge part of the school’s pep rally. They are always ready to perform and be present on the floor throughout the entire event. Getting everything and everyone in place is difficult in such a big school with huge teams. The coaches and captains have to do lots of communicating to promise a beautiful performance. Shea Trichell, senior RHS cheer captain, said that they have group chats where most of the planning is done. It doesn’t sound easy rounding up almost 62 cheerleaders for a big event performance.

“We have a group chat that we send things out on and we make sure that there’s always people that can hold each other accountable,” Trichell said.

Although rounding up all the cheerleaders and performing is mostly familiar to the team, this is just routine for RHS’s marvelous band. By the start of the semester, all band members have had access to the pieces and opportunities for practice.

“We first start the season in summer, we start in July, and so we start learning it all through football season, so the kids are super familiar with it,” George Vera, band director.

Now, just because the material isn’t new, that doesn’t mean that rounding up everyone is something that can be done in five minutes. All performers have to be ready before students arrive at the gym, and their performances last until all students have left. This means that everyone has to be in place and ready to perform until dismissed by the time students get to the gym.

A few strategies that help with preparation are “communication and organization,” Ross said.

Even though this is a lot of planning and organization, all of Rogers High School’s performers and planners enjoy pep rallies and the energy they bring. Performing is a great opportunity for expression and a way to have fun for the students. 

“I love game days, in general, the environment of the game days,” Ross said.