Rage Cage Etiquette

The Rage Cage — a place where St. X students come together as one. You may not know the guy next to you, but he is your brother nevertheless. When the “Tigers on the Warpath” chant fires up, you put your arm around that guy because you both have a commonality in being a Tiger. 

The Cage is a place that everyone looks forward to packing, whether it’s on Poplar Level Road, at Cardinal Stadium, at that other school’s gym on Shelbyville Road, or anywhere in between. Wherever the Cage finds itself on a given night, it will certainly make an impact on that game, match, or meet.

Like everything at St. X, it carries tradition with it. We as current students have been tasked with keeping that tradition alive and strong. This is a challenging and rewarding task because there have been so many great young men that have spent time within the confines of the Cage.

In order to keep this tradition going, I have interviewed two men who play a critical role in the Cage’s success — St. X senior class president Teddy Meiers and St. X hype man Walker Moorman. Teddy brings a different perspective as he is also on the field for the defending state champs. If you ever need to know what the theme of a game is, make sure you contact Walker because he is the go-to man when it comes to that. 

What advice would you give to a freshman attending their first game in the cage?

Teddy: “I’d tell the freshman to not be afraid to get in the cage.  While it may seem intimidating for some, the whole point is for St. X students of all ages join together to support our team.”

Walker: “Some advice that I would give freshman is to be loud and get into the cheers. I remember my freshman year when my classmates would walk around and talk to friends at the game, or sit in the back of the student section and not get involved on the cheers. I have always found that getting involved in the cheers strengthens the brotherhood and it makes sporting events more fun to watch when you are more passionate about the team you are watching.”

What can people do in the cage to make it a more electric environment?

Teddy: “Be involved in the game.  Don’t just cheer when we’re doing well.  Try and help rally the team when we’re down or need a boost.  The team feeds off the cage’s energy, so the more energy and juice, the better.”

Walker: “I think to make it a more electric environment there are two simple things people can do: stay standing up, and stay loud. We have cheers that we cycle through throughout the games, but in the moments that we are not actively doing a set cheer I think screaming something, whether it is a “let’s go Tigers” or just making a loud noise, can keep the energy and momentum of the cage up.”

What would you say are some of the main rules of the Rage Cage?

Teddy: “The main rule of the Rage Cage is to be loud.  The Rage Cage isn’t just a spot to sit and silently watch the game.  If you’re in the Cage, you’re there to get rowdy and bring juice and energy during the game.  Many students don’t realize the impact the Cage can have, but if the other team has the ball on 4th and goal and are going for it, there is no better motivation than hearing hundreds of students yelling and being as loud as possible in support of us.”

Walker: “I would say the main rules of the student section are to be loud, be respectful of refs and opponents, encourage your peers who are in the student section with you to bring a lot of energy, and to let seniors sit in the front of the cage.”

Clearly, the Rage Cage plays a critical role in life here at St. X. We expect to be the best of the best in everything, and we expect nothing less than that from the Cage on any given night. 

Your next opportunity to get in the Cage is this Friday Aug. 24 at 7:30 p.m. as the Tigers take on the Yellow Jackets of Central. The game will be played at Brother Thomas More Page Stadium and it’s also Future Tiger Night. Let’s help show the next generations what the St. X brotherhood is all about. Pack the Cage!