Redefining School Spirit
Riverdale prides itself on school spirit. Whether competing at a football game or track meet, students are excited to represent their school. But what role can non-athletes play when it comes to school spirit?
Ninth-grade varsity athletes Evelyn Ostfeld and Dylan Eldridge describe how the feeling of camaraderie on a team enhances both individual and collective performance. Ostfeld offered insights on her cross-country experience: “even in an individual sport, we all root for each other, support each other in practices and workouts, and build connections through those experiences.” Likewise, Eldridge emphasized the “strong sense of community and safe space” of the football team: “The coaches and captains let you be who you are and are very welcoming, which leads to success on the field.”
Last month, Seniors Amalia Manton and Charlie Epstein started an account on TikTok called “narptok” to promote non-athletes’ attendance to sports games. “Narp” stands for non-athletic-Riverdale-person. In their videos, they comment on plays and points during games and meets. Amalia and Charlie filmed their first video at a girls varsity soccer game against Columbia; they have since gone to a girls varsity tennis match, interviewed countless athletes, and explored the newly renovated locker rooms.
While the account might be lighthearted, it has a meaningful message. Charlie shared that she and Amalia created the account as “a way to hype up people who don’t necessarily play sports but want to feel spirited and part of the community.” They shared that “Riverdale can improve on making those who aren’t on a varsity team feel included in school spirit, and we thought this would be a good solution.”
On Saturday, September 27th, Riverdale held its annual homecoming. Athletes, non-athletes, parents, and alumni all showed up to show support and show off our Riverdale spirit. Charlie and Amalia brought NARP spirit to all the games; they wore NARP t-shirts, carried pom poms and megaphones, and interviewed Riverdale athletes and members of the opposing teams. At every game, there was an impressive crowd of people cheering for the Riverdale teams, and the athletes greatly appreciated the support. Dylan said: “Knowing we have a bunch of people backing and supporting us increases our confidence and belief in ourselves.”
School spirit is important in many aspects of student life, as athletes and non-athletes are all part of Riverdale’s incredible community. NARP-tok inspires us to cheer on our classmates when we can, whether at sporting events, musicals, or even when our friend does well academically. It’s that mutually supportive vibe that makes Riverdale such a special place.
