On Jan. 19, UHS hosted the Winter Pep Rally featuring the UHS Pep Squad and athletes from basketball, soccer, water polo and wrestling. After the Pep Squad performed to start the rally, every sport was introduced, which involved a walk-up song and each team captain introducing team members to the crowd. 

Following these introductions, team captains participated in a game of musical chairs. As the players walked counterclockwise in a circle around the chairs, the music would stop suddenly, prompting all players to sit quickly in an empty chair. The person left standing without a chair would be eliminated from the game. 

Senior and boys’ basketball player Ali Zadeh excitingly won the game.

“It was a pretty fun experience and I’m glad I got the chance to play and win for the team,” Zadeh said. “I honestly was not expecting to make it this far and when all my teammates came running to me after I won it felt pretty surreal.”

The entire crowd was very engaged with the rally. Students created an enthusiastic atmosphere as each class cheered as loud as they could to see who could create the most noise. 

“Probably it was the best pep rally I’ve been to at this school at least for the years I’ve been here,” junior Amir Majdi said. “I remember my freshman year they would have it outside and the energy wouldn’t be the same, but now that it’s in the gym and everyone is packed together, the energy flows through the entire gym.”

Senior and Spirit and Rally Commissioner Ayden Agahi led most of the Winter Pep Rally, engaging with the crowd and commentating throughout the musical chairs game.

“[Agahi] does a really good job of getting everyone’s attention and keeping them entertained,” junior Gianni Choi said. “He does it better than I think almost anyone else would so props to him.”

The Winter Pep Rally was a huge success and brought excitement to the winter sports season.