More than 1,000 students, families and community members packed the stadium Wednesday night for Westside’s annual back-to-school pep rally, marking the start of the fall sports season.

The event was led by Red Shield, the student spirit and event-coordination group. Members introduced each fall athletic team as players walked onto the field to be recognized.

“Tonight’s just about our athletic program,” Red Shield member Amelia Petsick said. “We have a great program and a lot of hard work goes into it, so we’re just trying to introduce it to people, whether they’re new parents, fans or teammates.”

Once all teams were assembled, captains stepped forward to introduce their squads to the crowd, highlighting key athletes and previewing expectations for the season. More than eight activities were represented, including football, softball, volleyball, cross country, boys tennis and golf.

Crowd turnout reflected strong school spirit heading into the year.

“It’s going to be fun this year,” Red Shield member Jason Kipling said. “We’re going to make it fun for everybody, so come out, support and go Warriors.”

Red Shield will continue organizing school spirit events throughout the fall and is open to new student applicants.