Varsity sports teams kept it classy on Friday for the fall Andover/Exeter pep rally. Students, faculty, and alumni crowded the bleachers in Phelps Stadium to cheer for Andover’s sports teams, whose skits were subject to prior review this year. The fall pep rally, annually held the night before the Andover/ Exeter games, consists of entertainment from the season’s varsity sports teams. The teams perform amusing skits, which often include dancing. However, in recent years, the skits have become increasingly sexual, some faculty members worried. Paul Murphy, Dean of Students and Residential Life, implemented guidelines for the first time this year in order to ensure an appropriate pep rally. The Blue Key Heads and Cindy Efinger, Director of Student Activities, evaluated the team skits prior to the pep rally in order to guarantee that the skits abided by the prescribed regulations set by Murphy. Murphy said, “I really enjoyed the pep rally – and I know others did [too]. The Blue Key Heads and [sports] captains did a great job of gearing us all up for the games on Saturday.” “It was one of the best pep rallies that I have been to at Andover, and we plan to continue to review pep rally skits in the winter,” Murphy added. According to Efinger, none of the sports teams had to take any material out of their skits. Efinger said, “Everybody did the right thing. The students all followed the guidelines set by Mr. Murphy.” Charlie Walters ’10, Blue Key Head for Flagstaff Cluster, said, “The pep rally was very successful and I think the review process made the skits higher in quality. However, the fear of offending someone and getting in trouble might have hindered the skits from being more funny and entertaining to the students.” Nikhil Dixit ’12 said, “The skits were very well organized, thanks to the review process set by Mr. Murphy, but the skits were not as funny as I anticipated them to be. I feel like the student-run aspect of the annual event that made it so good is gone.” The Blue Key Heads led the audience with energetic cheers and performed skits mocking Exeter, followed by performances from all the varsity teams. Josh Feng ’10 said, “I could tell that the teams had focused on making the skits entertaining but appropriate at the same time. Even though the skits were toned down a little, they were still very amusing.” The Girls Volleyball team entertained the audience with an Andover/ Exeter dance off. Meghan McCafferty ’10, Co-Captain of the Girls Volleyball team, said, “The review process definitely allowed us to be more organized than last year.” Many Andover alumni also returned to their alma mater to attend the much-anticipated pep rally. Nathalie Monecke ’09, now a freshman at Boston College, said, “I really enjoyed the pep rally, especially since I got to reconnect with my old friends.” “I thought the skits were much more organized than last year’s because of the review process and guidelines set by Mr. Murphy,” Monecke added.
