While there’s no doubt that watching Boulder High’s legendary soccer team is interesting, equally interesting was the situation that occurred on the August 27th game: Students chose to sit on the wall overlooking Recht Field against school policy.
For years, Boulder High seniors have embraced the tradition of sitting on Recht Field’s south wall while viewing sporting events. Treating the ledge like a twelfth-grade VIP section, former juniors awaited the opportunity to do something they had only watched older grades do. Until now. Much to the dismay of the Class of ‘26, the rules regarding the wall have changed. In the words of Mr. Bishop, Athletic Director, “students will not be permitted to sit on the wall during athletic contests.”
The new rule was first announced at the start-of-year class meetings. While underclassmen may not have had a strong reaction, seniors certainly did. In contrast to the typically dead-silent affair, many members of Boulder High’s oldest grade were noticeably frustrated, while others felt a loss for the custom they wouldn’t be able to experience.
“We were all excited to finally be able to sit on the wall,” says Myla Collins, ‘26. “It’s a resemblance of senior year and how far we’ve gotten.”
However, seniors adore the wall for reasons beyond tradition. While sporting events are an important social scene, Boulder High students still feel passionately about the actual athletics. Joaquin McKee, ‘26, calls the wall “the best lookout on the field.” He continues, saying “you honestly get…the best team spirit from the ledge.”
Other students felt indifferent. For Leo Vogeli, ‘26, the new ban is not on the forefront of his mind. “I never really had much of an opportunity to make a full judgement,” he says.
Still, many students chose to sit on the wall on August 27th regardless of the rule. The administration and game managers, who are the primary enforcers of the policy, asked students to sit or stand elsewhere, though they were only partially successful.
Bishop explains that although this change may take some getting used to, he believes students will be safer. “It is not a ‘just because’ thing,” says Bishop, “it was evident that this was becoming a safety concern as students last year were falling off and we had multiple injuries.”
As the fall athletic season progresses, students are navigating the loss of a right of passage, though it remains to be seen the exact way they will handle it.
