BY ALEXCIA RODRIGUEZ AND MADDIE MANSKE

As athletic passes are no longer granted and pep club t-shirt prices increased, students get irritated with the fact that they aren’t allowed to enter home games for free like they used to.

In previous years, student athletes who played sports in the fall received athletic passes that entitled them to free entry into any home sporting event. Other non-athletes had the option to purchase a pep club t-shirt to receive the same privileges. However, students questioned the price increase of $17 for a t-shirt.

“I think it’s outrageous,” Alec Doerkson, 10, said of the price for pep club t-shirts.

While students are not exactly thrilled with the new changes, some seem to be accepting.

“It’s not too much. I’m okay with it,” Marcy Cuestas, 12, said.

With these changes taking effect, students think the outcome of t-shirt sales may decrease. In addition, it may or may not affect the number of people attending sporting events.

“I feel like less of them [student athletes] will attend other sport events. I’m disappointed that I don’t get a pass this year,” Tommy Luu, 12, said.

However, some students think that these changes will not make much of a difference.

“I think there will be a few less, but mostly the same because people enjoy getting in for free,” Cuestas said.

According to Craig Ryan, athletic director, athletic passes got to be confusing. Athletic passes were misused and misunderstood by some students.

“It was too hard to keep track of as a district. We decided to go with the pep club shirts and based them on home events only for the students; which would make it a lot easier to keep track of,” Ryan said.

While students complained, teachers explained why the sudden change is necessary. Robbye Herrington, science teacher and pep club sponsor, noted that the school had to pay a tax on t-shirts, and that the school wasn’t making any money.

“I think [the number of students buying pep club t-shirts] will increase because the athletes will need to get in and they no longer have athletic passes,” Herrington said.

Despite the fact that prices changed and athletic passes disappeared, students are willing to continue attending sporting events to support the Mavs.