Mark “Preacher” Harris, a campus supervisor and cross country/track coach here at LBHS, has started to take a new look at the sports culture among our students. In light of some recent incidents on campus, as well as a lack of school support at many sports games, Harris decided to start a new organization for student fans, Breaker Nation.

“Having support from the community makes me feel confident about my playing ability, and I think it boosts a player’s performance to have someone there cheering them on,” said freshman junior varsity football player Connor Sorensen.

However, of all the 650 students who are participating in sports this year at LBHS, only 58 of them play football, which means only 58 of them have community members and students actively attending their games.

“In the last few years, I noticed we have been lacking a fan base at our sporting events. When I went to the away games, I always noticed that they had a student section where they would have organized cheers and all be wearing the same shirts, and I was jealous,” said Harris.

Harris then decided to start Breaker Nation. However, he had no idea what kind of support he would get. Nonetheless, at the club’s first meeting, over 100 students showed up. Freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors packed into the gym to film the promotion video as well as discuss the future of the club.

“Everyone walked away with a pretty positive reaction to it,” said Harris.

Members of the new Breaker Nation club look forward to instilling school spirit at sporting events to come.

“I joined Breaker Nation because I am a big supporter of school spirit at Laguna Beach High School and believe we should cheer on sports other than our own,” said senior Ashley Shelton.

Harris has decided that he wants Breaker Nation to be mostly student run. Breaker Nation participants as well as Harris, hope to create a lasting and positive influence on the school for future years.

“I don’t think there has been a club or organization like this in the past. I think this club will create a whole new and improved reputation for Laguna Beach High School and the student community as well as the overall school spirit,” said Shelton.

Breaker Nation is predicted to change the face of sports at Laguna Beach.

“I am doing this for two reasons: first, for the senior class it started with the Link Crew and now this is something else that i wanted to do for them but I am also doing this for the incoming freshmen. I want them [the freshman] to have something that they can latch onto and grow themselves,” said Mark Harris.

The overall objective of this organization is to try and bring the students and faculty, athletes and fans and seniors and freshman together to improve the overall atmosphere of LBHS.

“I think Breaker Nation really has the power to change the student body. We have the momentum to make an impact, maybe it will take a few years, but I think by the time the freshman this year are graduating, Laguna will be a model for school spirit,” said senior Maddy Flores.