Numerous MVHS sport teams have begun using platforms like Instagram and TikTok on a regular basis. From posting jokes surrounding their team dynamics to game updates, sports team accounts present a virtual front, in addition to their physical one. 

Many teams utilize social media in order to show viewers the “behind the scenes” for the work that they are doing, according to junior and Varsity Girls Basketball player Kashish Naggar. Naggar also voices how, whether it be through practices or team bonding, the audience is able to feel more involved with the team through their Instagram presence.

“We enjoy sharing more about us as a team to the school, so that the school feels connected with us and they know us,” Naggar said. “If more people know us on social media, they’d be [more inclined] to come to our games [because] they feel more connected with us.”

According to Varsity Cheer captain and sophomore Sanika Kothari, social media additionally spreads school spirit and pride, further enriching team, campus and audience morale. As someone who takes pride in spreading spirit, Kothari mentions that the team’s social media has increased its outreach, garnering a fresh audience through other students reposting the team’s posts on their personal Instagram.

 

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 The Cheer Team posts their routine after they perform | Monta Vista Cheer Team

“[With school spirit], it’s not only [for the] teams, but [for] the whole school,” Kothari said. “Because [we’re the] cheer team, we’re supposed to be spreading spirit. So we’re telling people [to] come support the team like, ‘Come see cheer, support the basketball team, watch the game, see halftime because we perform at halftimes,’ and we use social media to spread the presence that the cheer team does go to the games and we do hard stunts. We’re not only [cheering] on the side.”

Naggar states how, in addition to allowing teams to connect with the student body through spreading spirit, social media also allows teams to develop a persona, allowing the audience to view them on multiple dimensions and thus appreciate their teamwork more. According to Naggar, the basketball team’s Instagram content targets the whole school rather than just team members, but also adds that their posts impact their opponents.

 

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The Girls Varsity Basketball Team posts a celebratory photo every time they win a game | Monta Vista Girls Basketball

“When we post about our wins, I’m pretty sure people see us more as a threat on [the] court,” Naggar said. “People take us more seriously, and it makes other schools look up to us and be like, ‘Wow, they’re undefeated, they’re doing all these cool things and they’re playing really well together.’” 

However, Naggar admits that the team feels some “indirect pressure” as well. Since the team posts after every game and the whole school is able to follow their progress through social media, they feel compelled to maintain their image as winners. However, she says constant coverage has also led to steady support for everything the team does, from games to team fundraisers. 

As a member of All Star Cheer, Kothari adds that her team also enjoys posting for their competitions, starting from the team getting ready in their uniforms to the post-performance flood of emotions. Kothari explains that the team members share their feelings of excitement and exhilaration when getting ready in their “super flashy and sparkly” uniforms on social media because it increases their team bond and she’s proud to share it. 

That sense of pride is something that Kothari and senior and Varsity Boys Soccer player Sai Nadendla share. Nadendla runs the team’s TikTok page, which he created this season. He remarks that he made the first TikTok as a joke, but continued to make more after receiving positive feedback from the team. The TikToks are primarily clips of the team scoring, which he says grants them a sense of triumph. 

@mvsoccer #fyp #montavista @edisaurus ♬ original sound – MV Soccer

The Boys Soccer team posts  TikToks that reflect their team dynamics | Monta Vista Boys Soccer

“I don’t think it helped [the team improve] — I think it just made them happier to see people seeing it,” Nandendla said. “I look at the video sometimes and see people from Canada watching it, so I just do it to put a smile on their faces.”

Naggar, Kothari and Nadendla all state a similar reason behind the creation of their team’s social media: social media grants teams a virtual voice which they use to connect with the student body, showcase their spirit, make jokes and more. 

However, Kothari also believes that this platform allows teams to demonstrate how they are a force to be reckoned with, disproving stereotypes through highlighting the hard work they put into a particular sport. 

“We want them to know that cheer is a real thing,” Kothari said. “We actually do hard stuff. We work super hard on our halftime routines, we put in a lot of hours practicing, we try super hard and we’re here to support the team. We’re here to support the school.”