Varsity football game themes need to be more creative and less predictable. ASB students need to put more effort into configuring unique themes to better represent the student body.
For the past two-to-four years, common themes such as pink-out, white-out, neon-out, black-out, gold-out, hawaiian/beach theme, surf and turf (surfers vs. bikers) have been used repeatedly. Themes such as red, white and blue (USA), camouflage, fright night (halloween themed), sports jerseys, college fraternity/sorority themed or colored-themes upgraded (like how we added Minion-out to the gold-out theme during the poly game) would all be great new themes for ASB to add for next football season.
“Administration never decides the theme, it’s 100% the ASB students voting for the student body,” says Grant Robinson, Millikan’s ASB Director. This is why ASB needs to take their
creative freedom and create more unique themes instead of reusing the same old themes each year.
Students are tired of the football themes and want there to be a change made. Zoe Johnson is a sophomore in QUEST who attended almost all of the football games this season and agrees that the themes are constantly repetitive. “I think ASB should 100% make new themes because we do the same themes every year and it’s getting boring, why can’t we come up with something creative?” says Johnson. “We need to think outside the box and do something that makes the theme fun.”
The Rams Varsity Football team won the Moore League this season and went into the first round of CIF, when we had a home game against Crean Lutheran on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. ASB decided to collaborate with the Corydon to create an Instagram poll, alongside a Google Form on the global Canvas announcements for students to vote on the game theme.
According to Robinson, ASB brainstormed possible new themes for the game, narrowing it down to: black out/camo; red, white and blue; or sports jersey attire. The two polls were between black out/camo and red, white and blue, and the result was 50/50 on the Instgram polls, and a 6
0/40 favor to black out on the canvas form.
The game was also the week of the Presidential Election, so ASB students were concerned that the red, white and blue theme would cause students to get controversial and political. But in a different environment or time, red, white and blue would be an amazing theme. It is important to be mindful of themes which may be culturally insensitive to students, and although these repeated themes are the themes proven to be the least insensitive, ASB can still collaborate to create new, fun and student-safe themes for next football season.
The only new or extended theme added this year was for the Poly game on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, which was updated from gold-out to Minion-out. This was a very successful theme (watch our Minion-out TikTok here) and ASB needs to add more themes like this for next year’s football season.
Frida Santiestaban is a senior in QUEST and a member of ASB who agrees that ASB should be making better themes. “I think that every year the themes are always repetitive and something with colors,” says Santiestaban, referring to the different color themes used throughout the season. “I wish we could add more new and fun themes.” ASB needs to take action and keep pushing, creating and brainstorming themes that keep it fun and fresh.
ASB does a very good job with working with the unvaried themes that they’re given, they always make the games more lively and go all out with the themes with decorations and outfits. They always make sure to hype up the student section with chants, music during time-outs, in between quarters, and especially at halftime to bring energy into the crowd. Thanks to ASB, our Millikan Mob won the student section of the season from LA Student Sections! Regardless, ASB needs to make better themes in the first place which would also elevate the student section even more during games.
ASB needs to create exciting, new and improved football themes each year instead of using the same boring and repetitive ones.
Aliza Armenta • Jan 15, 2025 at 8:05 pm
On January 10, 2025, Rose Varley wrote an article titled “Football Themes Need to be New and Creative”. I think this topic is a very interesting thing to report on. As many are encouraged to attend Millikan’s football games, many find it boring since themes are constantly being repeated. Varely does a great job at expressing many students’ frustration with the school’s constant repetitiveness with themes. She offers insight on current students’ opinions which gives a good understanding into the issue. Varley also includes examples of ideas ASB should consider. This is a great addition to the articles as it provides solutions so that students can take inspiration from it. Towards the end of the articles she also praises ASB for the work they put into these Friday night football games which is appreciated since their work can often go unrecognized. In addition, she also gets quotes from interviewing ASB’s director, Grant Robinson. I think this is a good use of an interview since it gives it credibility. Overall this is a well thought out article that many students will be able to agree on.
Anneliese Poirier • Jan 15, 2025 at 2:00 pm
Varley provides excellent points that I myself can agree with and have thought multiple times before. She explains how over the seasons, Varsity football games at Millikan have been themed with the same small rotation and it is getting tiresome. For the students attending, we want to enjoy the game and spend time with our friends, but without a unique theme or fun student section it is much more difficult. I attended various games this season and while I enjoyed supporting our team, I found myself thinking about preparing outfits as a chore rather than something exciting. I love how Varley got interviews from actual Millikan students and I agree with most of their opinions. I didn’t know that ASB was completely in control of the theming, but now I can speak with friends in the class and maybe help contribute to more unique games. Overall, the article was well written and I enjoyed reading it. It is good to hear that some of my opinions are shared by other students.
Ethan Enriquez • Jan 15, 2025 at 1:57 pm
Varley expresses her idea that ASB needs to come up with new and creative ideas for football games as they are often repetitive and don’t change from prior years. Varley states how ASB is given the creative freedom to decide what theme they want for the football games and how administrators do not decide what the theme will be. This evidence is from Mr. Robinson who is a credible source as he is the activities director at Millikan High School and often helps ASB with sports events, like football games. This evidence is used to show how ASB can create new themes, they just need to take the creative freedom and do it. Varley uses evidence to give examples of what good ideas could be for ASB, which helps both students and ASB members understand what possible themes could be made. Varley’s article overall is very well made and expressive, however, the article could’ve been improved further if new ideas for themes were added to help give ASB a push in the right direction when being creative.
Shae Parkhill • Jan 14, 2025 at 11:06 pm
Varley’s review of the season’s football themes questions whether or not ASB students are getting lazy with choosing how to show our school spirit. Varley does an amazing job gathering information about the year’s themes from Activities and ASB Director Grant Robinson. With his help, she sought to understand why the themes have gotten so basic. According to him, the ASB class is responsible for choosing the year’s themes. He then goes further to say that the student population however, is relied on to help nominate themes. For example, ASB reached out on platforms such as Instagram and Canvas to get feedback on which theme students would want more, black out and camo, or red, white and blue. Student vote went to the theme black out and como for the team’s first CIF game in November, but students still complained about the basic theme.
Varley also includes the perspective of ASB students with help from Mr. Robinson. She states that ASB students were cognisant of the Presidential Election during that first CIF game. They came to the conclusion that a red, white, and blue theme could lead to controversial discussions and possibly fights so soon to such an important national event. Varley concedes that it is important to be mindful of themes that could cause issues for being culturally insensitive or controversial, which means that basic themes often win for their simplicity.
While Varley did a stunning job with presenting why themes should be more creative in the future, she fails to mention why basic themes are more inclusive to all students. Students who are struggling financially may not have the resources to purchase clothing or accessories that fit with a new theme. These students are more likely to have basic colors such as black or white, which can encourage them to go to more games, increasing school spirit and unity. In the end, Varley does a wonderful job recapping the year’s football themes and giving insightful constructive criticism on how to improve for the future.
Brina Duncan • Jan 14, 2025 at 10:56 pm
Varley emphasizes the idea that there is a constant lack of innovation in Millikan High Schools football games, highlighting their repetitive nature. She goes on to not just state the themes that are being repeated, but Varley also lists off other themes that can be portrayed in the next coming football season games. She prioritizes the necessity for fresh and more imaginative approaches, which can also maintain the students’ engagement, or even persuade others to want to come to more games. Moreover, Varley spoke with a student who attends Millikan named Zoe Johnson, and voices the lack of variety for football game themes. Many students attended the games this season, yet still find these repetitive themes to be dull and uninspiring. Varley expresses ASB, or the head of the football themes need a fresh, creative spark to reignite the excitement in more football games, just as it worked for the Minion-out theme that was unique and successful. While Varley does question the constant routine of similar football themes, she makes sure to give credit to ASB by elucidating how well of a job they do for the games, and whether they are repetitive or not, ASB still goes all out on not just outfits and decorations, but the positive vibes and energy all around. Varley lastly includes that Millikan High won the student section of the season from LA Student Section, however with newer and more innovative themes, the student section can be enhanced in future games.
Avery Lloyd • Jan 14, 2025 at 4:55 pm
Varley claims that ASB’s themes for football games have been frequently reused over the past few years. She also backs up her claim by using multiple student and staff testimonials, including a student currently in ASB and Mr. Robinson, the activities director here at Millikan. Varley not only calls out our ASB leaders but, also provides some new and interesting themes that could be used in the next football season. Varley ends the article by praising ASB for all the hard work they put in to make our school a better more spirited place and congratulates them for winning the student section of the year. This balances out her constructive criticism of the student body program and overall creates a more positive and safe environment for the growth of the students and the ASB program itself.
Avery Lloyd • Jan 14, 2025 at 4:51 pm
Varley claims that ASB’s themes for football games have been frequently reused over the past few years. She also backs up her claim by using multiple student and staff testimonials, including a student currently in ASB and Mr. Robinson, the activities director here at Millikan. Varley not only calls out our ASB leaders but, also provides some new and interesting themes that could be used in the next football season. Varley ends the article by praising ASB for all the hard work they put in to make our school a better more spirited place and congratulates them for winning the student section of the year. This balances out her constructive criticism of the student body program and overall creates a more positive and safe environment for the growth of the students and the ASB program itself.
Shawna Brief • Jan 14, 2025 at 1:29 pm
Varley’s article begins with an opening statement, which is her claim, stating that ASB students need to be more creative when choosing themes for the football games instead of the same, mundane ones we keep reusing. This grabs the reader’s attention, especially those who agree with her, because the claim is a blunt statement, calling out ASB for not being creative. She continues by stating past themes that have been reused for 2-4 seasons in a row, and provides suggestions of fresh and new themes that students may enjoy. Varley uses a credible source, Mr. Robinson, that activities director here on campus who helps in this decision process, and can elaborate on why spirit themes are so boring. He claims that admin has nothing to do with football game themes, and that it is all ASB student’s decisions, which is why it is up to them to listen to student suggestions. She does an excellent job at interviewing students of different grade levels to get their input, including an ASB student. This student, Frida, agrees that the themes are boring and action should be taken. Valrey doesn’t hesitate to explain reasons these new themes may not be successful, such as the argument over a red, white, and blue theme for the CIF game in November. This game was a week before the Presidential Election, and Valrey explains that Robsinon, as well as the ASB student leaders, agreed that having a theme like this so close to the election may cause political tension and insensitivity. At the conclusion of the article, Valrey praises the work ASB has done on campus to enhance student life and school spirit, and congratulates them for winning the LA Student Section of the Year award. I wish that instead of only talking about positive things ASB has done, she added it through the article, because ASB does a lot around campus. I enjoyed reading Varley’s article because as an ASB student leader myself, it is nice to hear what other students think about the themes we decide and what we can do to make the students happy.
Marisa Ramos • Jan 14, 2025 at 1:05 pm
Varley expressingly wrote about the student body’s feedback about football game themes and that ASB needs to come up with new themes for them. As a student who is in ASB, I greatly appreciate that someone took the time to report about what the student body wants. These Friday football games are just more than football games. These are the events at the end of the week that everyone looks forward to. Students can take a break from doing school work, hang out with their friends, and support their varsity football team. ASB does their very best to create a live and fun atmosphere for the students that come to the games. We also take into the consideration of the football themes to make them do-able for the students that don’t want to go all out in dressing up but still want to participate. Regardless, thank you for writing this article and I will take the feedback I learned into consideration for when ASB comes up with the new football games themes.