“What do you call a well-dressed cowboy? Ranch dressing!” The sounds of jokes like these paired with the bang of the gong dotted the Southern Preparatory Conference pep rally with excitement. Deb Surgi, athletic director, encouraged athletes and coaches and declared the beginning of the SPC games.

On Nov. 2, 2021, after two years away, the Athletic Board led the return of the highly-anticipated pep rally.

“I was waiting for the next pep rally,” varsity rower DixeyPiper Auer said, “it was really fun.”

All season, sports teams have been working to prepare for SPC, happening on Nov. 5-7, and the rally was another way to honor the players.

“It was really exciting to be back and cheer on our athletes,” Head of the Athletic Board, Minje Kwun said.

The Athletic Board was faced with many challenges through COVID-19 and found solutions to overcome them. The rally was in the amphitheater to promote social distancing and only Upper School students attended to help with contact tracing.

“We weren’t sure what we were allowed to do, there’s not really a guidebook for COVID,” Kwun said.

However, the new changes were not all bad news. The new format allowed for more Upper School bonding and the rally was louder and more energetic than usual according to Kwun. It had fall sports team walkouts and Q&A sessions with team captains. Varsity volleyball mentioned that they were undefeated in SPC, varsity cross country shared some words of wisdom from Coach LaBoris Bean and rowing shared their favorite pre-game hype songs. The event also featured a performance from the drill team.

“We were concerned about the stage but overall, it went great,” Anne Rubi, drill team captain, said.

Taylor Hua, varsity field hockey athlete, said that it was a great way for students to get spirited for SPC games. For both Kwun and Hua alike, the rally means more than just high-school fun.

“It’s symbolic of how we have all grown so much together during the pandemic,” Kwun said. “Now, these pep rallies mean even more.”

Hua had a similar view on the impact of this pep rally.

“It symbolizes a return to play,” Hua said, “and being able to see our work come to fruition.”

The board’s sights are now set on a school-wide pep rally. With the status of the pandemic being up in the air, Kwun said that a normal pep rally is in the works for the spring season.

For now, “Protect the meadow,” Kwun said, “and teach our opponents to never mess with us again!”