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Years ago, Bellwood had a student section called Blue Devil Nation that everyone wanted to be apart of. Now, the once huge student section, is non existent.

Now it’s just a void.

Yes, it is a different group of students, but it is now the group of students that couldn’t wait to grow up and be in the student section.

At volleyball and basketball games you see a group of students sitting where the student section once was, but all they do is twiddle their thumbs. Great plays are met with a smattering of applause. Timeouts are taken up by the “We Are, Bellwood!” chant, started by the cheerleaders and executed by the parents, not the student section.

Even at football games this past season, there were efforts for building a student section, but there were only few students that showed up to sit in it.

There is plenty of school spirit flowing through Bellwood, but why is that school spirit not carried through to the games, home and away.

At Mifflin County High School on Tuesday night, Penn Cambria played in the PIAA basketball playoffs before our girls team. They had a group of students take over a section of the bleachers. Bishop Guilfoyle’s student section shows up to all of their games with different themes, from Marauder Millionaire to white outs. This isn’t just for playoff games, their student section is there for regular season games too.

Neither Penn Cambria nor BG have a state champion basketball team to root on. We do. Few schools have consistently successful sport teams like B-A. Where is Blue Devil Nation?

Getting involved and having a student section gives you a sense of pride. It brings the students in the school together because they are all cheering for one thing. It gives you something to do on those boring nights when all you want to do is procrastinate on homework.

Right now, the girls basketball team is making their second run for a state title. Last year, a student section formed at the final four game and at the state game, but that’s it.  

“When you have a student section and you have a lot of people cheering for you, it’s easier to get into the game,” said junior Sakeria Haralson.

A student bus is being organized for tomorrow nights game, again at Mifflin County, this time against York Catholic. With a fee of $8 that covers their ticket and travel expenses, there is no excuse for students to not go; furthermore, to not have a student section to cheer on the girls in a game that could lead them to their goal of being state qualifiers again.