Since starting the winter sports season at Webb, many matches and games have taken place. However, have you felt a lost sense of spirit? Have stands been filled? Have you been giving your teams’ emails a heart? Have you been sending emails? If you improve your home game attendance, Brian Kays, science department faculty, could get dunked in a dunk tank.  

The incentive Mr. Kays provided is that if on average 35 students come to VWS varsity basketball games, any student or faculty alike will be able to dunk Mr. Kays. If you come to a home game, you will have the exiting opportunity to do a shooting contest, making a shot from half court. The prizes for completing the half-court shot include four movie tickets, so you are able to bring a friend and money for the concession stand. 

Mr. Kays believes that Webb is lacking in school spirit. Playing a game and hearing the sound of the ball echo off the walls, and not the cheers of your friends, is discouraging.  By asking the manageable amount of 35 people to come to the games, for the incentive that he will get dunked during spring season, Mr. Kays believes that Webb will quickly gain spirit, if students have the right motivation.  

“We haven’t always had the best school spirit, and I wanted to create an experience that might become infectious on campus” Mr. Kays said. 

Not only will people be actually showing up at home games to boost spirit, but also other competition events like robotics or debate. Mr. Kays also wants to see support in the arts department with as many people as possible showing up to the school play and musical. 

Of course, the idea for this event did not just come to Mr. Kays out of thin air. Looking back on his time at San Diego State University, he had participated in cheering on his team in the student section.  

“Having participated in that environment, [seeing] how fun it was, I think that’s kind of what I wanted at Webb,” Mr. Kays said.   

Having people at games creates a more supportive culture at Webb and encourages people to do better while they play.  

“You don’t want to just work hard for the team but also work hard for the people watching,” Mandana said. 

A Webb athlete Aanya Mehta (‘26) shares her thoughts on how it feels to play on an empty court.  

“It mainly sucks because there’s no energy from friends,” Aanya said. “It’s kind of sad.”  

With the addition of these fun events for the winter season, it can certainly be believed that the school’s spirit should rise. Of course, this can only be done with the help of Webb students. Besides just getting the opportunity to cheer on your friends and peers, becoming one of the 35 in the stands means you will also be able to dunk Mr. Kays!