The newly formed media club Tiger News Today (TNT) has been stirring interest in SIS athletics by keeping students up to date with news regarding fall sports on various social media platforms. As an addition to the school publications and Tiger Sports Council (TSC), TNT actively reports all results from fall season sports. Unlike ever before, the club has produced live videos of actual games, reported specific statistics and results via social media for increased accessibility, and has even continued the tradition of creating varsity member videos for each sport.
“The progress [within the club] so far is pretty good and we are looking at recruiting more members to cover as much as possible,” said Jangho Yun (10), TNT video executive member. “Although as a new club we do not have many members, the potential is great for future years. Currently we are mostly emphasizing and covering home games to students but hope to expand to all games if possible and increase school spirit as much as possible.”
In an attempt to increase school spirit, TNT members have continually encouraged students to attend home games and have made daily morning announcements informing students of the results from previous matches or of upcoming games. Videos introducing athletes and coaches have also spread throughout the student body via social media. The increased attention to varsity players seems to have led to increased student and teacher turnout at games, marking a significant difference from the past.
“Personally, spirit and encouragement is one of the most important aspects of a successful game, whether that be a crowd cheering or students staying behind to uplift the team,” said Hannah Kim (10), varsity volleyball player. “With the new council reminding students a week in advance of home games, through various platforms like social media, posters, or the morning announcements, I think it encouraged a lot more people to attend the game. All in all it turned out to be a benefit towards the team and I hope that this can continue to grow.”
As the fall season of the school year comes to a near end, athletes are working harder to beat their seasonal records or end with a sweeping victory. Many of the most important tournaments will be taking place this month, including varsity volleyball and tennis games from the Association of International Schools in Asia (AISA) and varsity cross-country’s annual invitational meet in Guam. With the increased attention on athletes, the club intends on diversifying projects to unify the student body in the future, marking a significant step as a school altogether.