The Mustang student section, commonly known as “the stables” is a major part of BIC tradition. The Stables create the Mustang spirit that fills the Mustang Athletic Complex (MAC) with an electric atmosphere, creating an excellent homecourt advantage and a tough environment for any opposing team to compete.
Attendees of any BIC home basketball game can see the Stables filled up with eager students donning silver and blue, waving large print outs of the star basketball players as they rush onto the court. Fans from elementary to high school chant “mighty mustangs” along with the cheer squad, hoping to will their team to victory the louder they yell.
One student who can almost always be seen boisterously participating in the Stables is Junior Housten McClelland. “I think it’s important because it keeps us involved in the game, and as a former athlete, there is a big difference between the nights where the student section isn’t there and the nights when it gets loud. It brings people together, like people from different grades who will be in the student section who you normally wouldn’t ever talk to. Being involved in the games is a great way to talk to new people and meet other students,” said McClelland.
Members of the Mustang basketball teams reiterated McClelland’s assessment that an involved student section is a major benefit for the players. Freshman shooting guard Bella Rodriguez said,“ I feel like it gets the players hype and excited. It makes the players play better.”
Freshman guard Caleb Petznick added, “It makes the game atmosphere better and more fun. It sends a message to the people in the stands to get hype.”
Junior Forward Braxton Matheny reiterated the importance of an impactful student section, saying that it improves the overall team morale and sends a message to opposing players. “The student section is used as a tactic to get into the other team’s head,” said Matheny.
Junior Noel Contreras is a significant contributor to The Stables, a student who is an active participant in the chants and celebrations of the student section. “We have a lot of spirit when we are winning, when the boys are coming back, down the court, and when certain ref calls happen,” said Contreras. “We tend to get really carried away when we don’t agree with a call. It can be hard for some students arguing with the refs. They can let the anger get to them and forget about being respectful, but you have to represent your school well.”
One important tradition of the student sections are the themed nights, in which students participating in The Stables dress up to look like one unified front. A big theme night that nearly every student participates in is the annual “pink out,” where students wear pink to honor people who have suffered from breast cancer.
Senior Jon Kirk said the theme nights are his favorite part of the ball games. “I think it was great that we cheered on the school while bringing awareness for breast cancer,” said Kirk.
While The Stables can be a great time for both the student section and the students on the court, the BIC coaches also love to see such strong school spirit at home games.
“We call it the sixth man. They have got to bring a lot of energy to the games because when they do it has a big impact on morale and mindset,” said boys basketball coach Taylor Layne. “The louder the student section, the more effort we give.”
Girls basketball head coach Trevor Matheny explained that the student section can “light a fire” in the players on high energy nights.
While it is unrealistic for every BIC student to be a member of the basketball teams, joining in the raucous excitement of the Stables can be a great way to make a big impact on our school culture while having a great time cheering on the Mustangs to victory.
