The Resurrection of the Nest
It has been long since JD has seen it’s strong student section, but one student decided we need that change.
Donovan Fox shows school spirit at a volleyball game.
Volleyball, Baseball, Basketball, and Soccer.
These vastly different sports have one thing in common at JD. No one shows up to them.
The Nest is what we use to call our student section, but for the past couple of years, it’s disappeared. Now, a couple of campus life students banded together to bring it back.
The Nest members prepare for their debut with their signature nest hats.
The Nest debuted at the first home football game, where they gave off a big start to the year. “The way I see it, It’s either go big or go home,” Nick Kimball, Sophomore, said. “If we don’t show up in a big way, people aren’t going to take us seriously.” Kimball continued. With their giant straw ‘nest’ hats, it was hard to miss who was in the Nest. Even though the team lost that game, the turnout for the student section was great and planned to get better.
The Nest proceeded to make an appearance at all home games (for all sports) for the next two weeks. There is also now a Nest Instagram ran by Senior Grace McGowan-Jackson, which runs posts giving student information for games, like tailgate times and themes. “Being on the Nest is a lot harder work then you’d think,” sophomore Evan Wigton said. “I feel like it’s paying off, I know it’s making the players feel good to have some students there.” Wigton finished.
A crowd gathers in the student section, with drum core ready behind them.
This project can really be tied back to one student, John Flanagan. “The Nest really had it’s last year when I was a freshman,” Flanagan, Senior, said. “It wasn’t until this year that I thought I could really leave JD behind something important, like the Nest. This isn’t just a resurrection, this is an overhaul.” Flanagan finished. Flanagan recruited members he knew could bring the hype needed and formed the glue that stuck everything together. It wouldn’t be possible without him.
With plans to cover the student section seats in custom banners and decorating the fringes of the field, the Nest has it’s hands pretty busy. However, it’s clear the more they put into it, the greater the return, and the Eagle couldn’t be happier to have it’s Nest back.
