Westside Red Shield Wins Best Student Section

Westside’s Red Shield was awarded the 2022 Omaha High School Sports Student Section State Championship. Since the award’s inception in 2018, Westside has received it four times. 

OmahaHSSports, a sports publication focused on the coverage of high school football and basketball, hosts annual polls on Twitter for students to vote on the best student section in Nebraska.

Since 2018, Red Shield has won the award four times. Red Shield sponsor Kalen Carlson credits student turnout and overall student support to Red Shield’s win. 

“The dedication to show up to not just football and [willingness] to support all the sports makes a big difference,” Carlson said. 

In 2021, Red Shield lost their 3-year winning streak to Millard West. Carlson said the achievement after the loss in 2021 made this year exciting for the students on Red Shield.

“Especially since last year we didn’t win it, to get it back, [Red Shield] was pretty excited about it,” Carlson said.

Senior and Red Shield leader Connor McLeod expressed the excitement of Red Shield winning Best Student Section, saying he credits student involvement as part of the achievement.

“Our student section consistently shows out to games and we try to get everybody involved,” McLeod said.

McLeod said Westside has upheld their reputation as the best student section through student engagement.

 “People just recognize us as a great student section,” McLeod said.