The pace for this school year was set very early on in Mr. Shanahan’s energetic Convocation speech. In it, he praised Choate for its many stellar accomplishments and highly esteemed reputation as a New England prep school. He encouraged new and returning students to soak it all in and make the most of our time here by carrying out and living the school’s longstanding tradition of excellence in all areas.
Two months later at the pep rally, the headmaster made his way back up on the PMAC stage to celebrate Choate and address the student body once again. This time, however, he put aside his headmaster’s robes and shocked the school by donning the familiar boar outfit that makes its way to occasional sporting events. For many, even this amusing and unexpected kick-off to the festivities wasn’t enough to make the night as enjoyable as it has been in previous years.
Mr. Shanahan’s guest appearance wasn’t enough to mask the pervasive disappointment and lack of eagerness among the students gathered. It didn’t change the fact that the administration deemed it necessary to place many new restrictions on what would and would not be “appropriate” for the students to do. Among other things, the school banned video clips, sexual innuendo, inside jokes, musical performances, pelvic thrusts, and Speedos, all on the grounds that they somehow took away from the festivities. Based on what I’ve been hearing from nearly all of my fellow returning students—and I must say I feel the same way—these are a big part of what made last year’s pep rally so memorable and exhilarating.
Since freshman year, Deerfield Weekend has been for me one of the most exciting weekends of the year. In addition to the outrageous outfits meant to mock our preppy rivals to the north on “Dress like Deerfield” Day, the general spirit of the Choate community during that time truly epitomizes the character of the student body. The spirit days are meant to get students psyched to support their classmates and represent their school on the Saturday of the showdown between the two rivals.
From an administrative point of view, the biggest concern must be the image of the school and the attitude of the students throughout Deerfield Weekend. Admittedly, some of the team presentations in the past two years have crossed the line on the conservative side of which the faculty can comfortably sit still and not express some concerns. When these presentations are publicized to the world through sites like Youtube, the school is forced to reassure horrified parents that not all the students at Choate dance to Eric Prydz’s “Call on Me” in tight shirts and short shorts in their spare time. As hysterical and legendary as that dance from last year was for us students, Choate’s critics and parents of prospective students often fail to see past the suggestive dancing and audacity of last year’s Senior Soccer team.
But despite what the administration and parents make of it, the pep rally is the culmination of the building anticipation and spirit of the Fall term, and it gives the varsity teams a chance to reflect on the highlights of the season and introduce the athletes who make success possible. It also serves as a way for the teams to encourage attendance to their games by presenting the members in a more lighthearted and personal manner than the scoreboard and game reports can.
I find that having a little fun with your teammates on and off the field is conducive to overall success, and inside jokes and traditions unify and distinguish the members of the many interscholastic teams at Choate. The dances and video presentations of past years reveal to the rest of the community the level of commitment and sense of family that all varsity coaches hope to instill in every individual member of a team. Sure, some of the routines might be seen as inappropriate and distasteful to a certain degree, but I’d be willing to bet that the team leaders aren’t aiming to land themselves in trouble or offend the administration when they plan these things. They just want to present their teams and promote attendance at their respective games while having fun in the ways that teenagers best understand.
I must say frankly that the pep rally probably did more to dampen the spirits of students than it did to pump us up for the games on Saturday. The administration’s omnipresent influence in the events of the night severely limited creativity and interest among the students, who were expecting more from the Pep Rally. The new regulations succeeded in preserving the school’s image for the outside world, but they also alienated the teams and fans by demanding propriety and maturity out of context on our one night of celebration and recognition as the unique student body of Choate.
