The time was ticking down as one of the biggest games of basketball season was approaching from across town, Tracy High School. To energize and create a ball full of spirits in the hearts of the students, senior ASB president Julia Flohr said, “This rally is something we wanted to go big with because it is basketball’s mini homecoming…we really wanted to incorporate the students and by doing so this time we had a DJ come and DJ the rally just to make the spirits really high.”

To lead up to the big game, a spirited week full of Battle of the Sexes was present with various outfits: sparkles versus sports, Disney versus superheroes, good versus evil and pink versus black. On January 28, a rally was performed to stir that energetic craze ready to blow up that would let everyone know that this is what West’s rallies were like. With a newly developed spirit among the school, it did not surprise anyone with the amount brought during the galactic themed slam jam, or space jam.

To start off the immense energy brought to the gymnasium was the Varsity Boys and Girls Basketball team who did their traditional run out. To some of the newcomers on the varsity team, it was a new world being the center of attention, however junior Morgan Brown says that her favorite part was running out with her team. During the rally, clubs such as Boys Polynesian, Korean Pop(KPOP), Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán(MEChA) and Asian Pacific Islanders(API) performed various multicultural choreographed routines as well as the cheer team. As the rally came toward the end, senior treasurer of MEChA Bianca Duran said, “I was just hoping everyone would have fun, everyone would enjoy MEChA and be able to say ‘Wow! I’m so glad I joined MEChA!’”

The energy is something definitely new this year. Especially at the Tracy versus West game on January 29 where West won 66-57. Each class brought a different personality to it as they joined their fellow classmates. Cheering in the crowd was heard all over especially with the annual spirit check when it came to a show down between the boys and girls. West has high hopes that this new atmosphere will hopefully lead them forward, and we are right on track.