Pep Clubs

Through the America Needs Spirit program, more students will be able to participate, and be invested, in bringing spirit back to their schools. Pep Clubs are an important tool to engage more students and build school spirit. They help drive camaraderie and elevate the student experience. The more students involved, the better!

How to Start a Pep Club

  1. Create a name  
    • Consider having the student body vote on a name. Get creative! 
      • Use your school name, colors or mascot so it’s relatable to your student body— Clarkesville Crazies, Tiger Team, Blue Crew 
  2. Write a mission statement 
    • Remember to include key phrases like ‘building school spirit’, ‘engage more of the student body’, and ‘elevating the student experience’ 
      • The Clarkesville Crazies will use school spirit to engage more of the student body to create a welcoming and exciting game day environment. We fuel the passion and energy on campus and aim to elevate the student experience for every Wildcat.   
  3. Talk to the school administration 
    • Be sure to pitch the idea to important faculty members like the school principal and athletic director.  
      • Things to include in the pitch: 
        • Pep club name 
        • Mission statement
        • What will the club do? 
        • How often will the club meet?  
        • How will the club grow?  
  4. Find a program/club advisor or sponsor 
    • Is there a teacher or staff member who embodies school spirit? See if they would be willing to help you to manage and collaborate with the Pep Club. Keep in mind it should be someone who attends sporting events, can help bring creative ideas to the table and can connect with students. 
  5. Set common goals between the spirit program and the Pep Club  
    • It’s important for the Pep Club and the spirit program to work in parallel to rally the student body. Plan events, cheers and themes together to create a cohesive and collaborative environment.   
  6. Recruit members
    • Reach out to those who previously showed interest in the spirit program and offer them the opportunity to lead the Pep Club  
    • School announcements 
    • Posters in the hallways 
    • Encourage highly engaged students to get involved 
    • Teacher recommendations  
    • Student recommendations  
  7. Order matching t shirts  
    • Create a design or a logo incorporating the name of your Pep Club and get t shirts made. Contact your Varsity Rep for affordable packages. 
  8. Set a Pep Club meeting schedule (i.e., every other Wednesday after school in room 102) 
    • Be sure to set an agenda and goals for each meeting 

How Your Pep Club Can Help Build Spirit

  1. Run flags after each touchdown 
  2. Set themes for the student section for each home game 
  3. Start school wide chants at pep rallies 
  4. Perform a short dance at quarter breaks of a game 
  5. Lead the student section in crowd participation games (i.e. the wave, act like everyone’s on a rollercoaster, etc.) 
  6. Make posters for each of the players for tournament games or homecoming 
  7. Emcee pep rallies at school to get students excited  
  8. Create a run through banner for each game to welcome the players to the field or court 
  9. Yell the chants and sidelines at games with the cheerleaders 
  10. Host a pre-game tailgate 

How Your Pep Club Can Build Spirit Virtually

  1. Host a Zoom call to watch a live stream of the event ‘together’ 
  2. Send digital e-card to players on the team to wish them luck 
  3. Create a student section BAND to post hype messages leading up to and during the game 
  4. Host a virtual spirit week via your school’s social media 
  5. Create a class t shirt design challenge. Students can then wear their class t shirt on gameday and post a photo in the shirt using a designated hashtag (i.e. #BHSclassof2022)  
  6. Start a Tik Tok challenge using your school fight song 
  7. Organize a drive by parade/ send off for players 
  8. Start a virtual fundraiser to get your school rallied around a cause you care about – like the St. Jude walk/run (or host your own virtual walk run for your school) 
  9. Host a yard decorating contest. Have students decorate their yard in school pride, submit a photo, choose whose had the most school spirit 
  10. Host a school trivia zoom game night. Have prizes (like e-gift cards) to give out to the winners 
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