Eighteen years ago, when the current senior class was born, so was the name Red Sea for our student section. Now these same seniors are arguing to keep the name after it was changed to the Strike Zone.
Senior Davis Bert has been co-running the student section since last year, leading cheers and managing the Red Sea Instagram account alongside senior Evelyn Lewis. Many students, including Bert, wish they could have had a voice when changing the name.
“For as long as I can tell our student section has been named the Red Sea, it’s almost like a tradition that new people get to be a part of. I wish the whole student body would have been able to give their opinion on whether or not the name was changed because we make up the student section,’ Bert said.
The name Red Sea was given to the student section by Jason Krech who graduated in the class of 2007. Krech was an active member of the school community and wanted to create a space for fans to gather together.
“My friends and I were big sports fans. We always went to the football games and were hoping to give people a student section so they could come hang out and go to football games together. It was designed to be a connection for people,” Krech said.
The name change was not done without reason. The SCA felt that because red is the prominent color of Rocktown, the HHS student section shouldn’t include that color.
“We changed it from the Red Sea to the Strike Zone because the Red Sea didn’t make sense when we’re red, white and blue. Rocktown is also completely red [so] it doesn’t make sense for us to have red as our color,” SCA adviser Anna Henkle said.
One driving factor behind changing the student sections’ name to the Strike Zone was having a name that corresponds with the new mascot, Bolt. Many seniors like Sequoia Hall and Javier Molina have been active members of the student section since freshman year and enjoy the addition of Bolt but wish to keep the student section name the Red Sea.
“We understand that the strike zone corresponds more with our new mascot Bolt, but that doesn’t change the fact that the student body, who makes up the student section, didn’t get any say in it. From what I have heard from students we would not have changed it to the Strike Zone if we had a choice,” Hall said.
When Krech was creating the name Red Sea, he and other students took into consideration the fact that red was not the main color of HHS.
“ A lot of jokes were made that we [named] the student section Red Sea but we are the Blue Streaks. Red was our third color behind blue and white. It still seemed like a good term for what we wanted, a sea of students that were enthusiastic and passionate,” Krech said.
Blue is still the most prominent of our school colors, blue, red and white.
“I know that red isn’t the main color of HHS but I still like the name Red Sea better. Strike Zone is just weird because we have always been the Red Sea and I wish we could stay the Red Sea,” Molina said.
SCA member Gabe Sabarre feels differently, arguing that the color red shouldn’t hold that much power in our student section’s name in order not to conflict with Rocktown.
“It’s time for us to branch out and be unique. We aren’t even red, our main color is blue,” Sabarre said.
Most students interviewed agreed that the Strike Zone name isn’t inherently bad, they just wish it wouldn’t have changed
“It’s not a bad name at all, it’s just not the one that we would have chosen to have. We aren’t opposed to change, we just wish we could have been a part of the discussion so we could have shared our opinions before it happened,” Hall said.
Bert feels that HHS shouldn’t have to change there school traditions for a newer school that can start their own.
“No one cared about how prominent the color was until Rocktown started. I don’t think we should have to change our name just because of another school’s colors. It wouldn’t be confusing to keep it, especially if it’s what the student body wants. We kept the Instagram name Red Sea in hopes that it might be able to go back to that. Strike Zone is a fine name, but I think the original should have stuck,” Bert said.
Krech believes that what the students want should be prioritized, as they are who make up the student section.
“The fact that it’s been around for 18 years is kind of incredible. From what I’ve heard, it became a much bigger thing, which is awesome,” Krech said. “I will always take the side of the students and I think what the students think should be the most important. If the students eventually want to change it, they should be able to. On the flip side of that they should be able to keep it, if they want. It was the name in my time but it doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be the name forever in the future. Whatever the students want, that’s that’s what it should be.”
