This past school year, the Blue Jay Sixth Man decided to start tailgates again after a few years of just going to the game. 

“They did [the tailgates] our freshman year, and they were always cool because it brought everyone to the game before and it got more people to be at the student section,” senior Alexa Bell said. “It got everyone hyped up like, ‘Oh, they actually care they’re doing something.’” 

Senior Leviticus Weber made the decision of starting the tailgates again after being influenced by going to Downtown St. Louis for tailgates to support the St. Louis Rams and wanting to bring that same support for the varsity football team. 

“Honestly it was my idea to start tailgates again just so it could get a lot of student body there, and it’s always a lot of fun to tailgate before a football game,” Weber said.

Although tailgates are something that is new to the WHS student body in a high school setting, it still gets people excited for the game and to socialize.

“[Tailgates] are fun and you get to hang out with your friends and stuff, grill some dogs and hamburgers,” Weber said, “and it’s always a good time whenever you come out to tailgates like that.”

Due to storms throughout the day and at game time, the first tailgate had to be canceled, but that didn’t stop the student section from doing it again the next week.

“Our first tailgate was an away game because the first one had to be canceled,” Bell said. “I’d say it went pretty well because I think people did carpool up to the game, and I think that it just got more people involved.”

The student section also tailgates for away games so they can get not only themselves to the game to support the Blue Jays, but to get underclassmen there as well to experience the excitement of winning a football game with your friends.

“The freshmen and some sophomores can’t really drive to games, so it’s also a way to get everyone together and be like, ‘Hey, can we ride with you to the game?’ and carpool up there so then A. it’s a safer way of driving, like you’re not just trying to find a ride from anyone and B. it’s just a way to get you there so that you can be there and have fun at the game and also have a ride back home,” Bell said, “and you don’t have to worry about your parents driving all the way there to drop you off and driving back to pick you up.”