As sports move indoors for the winter, fans become more spirited and influential in the game. Now instead of sitting thirty yards away in the grandstand we are courtside, yelling and chanting to push the Bulldogs to victory.

But with the proximity comes restrictions. Administrators hear more comments, and the crackdown on poor sportsmanship tightens.

It makes sense to prohibit bullying, harassment of players, and other negative activities, but the ban on noise makers is ridiculous.

Fans have utilized their surroundings to bring energy to games, but with the high school ban of noisemakers there is no option for sound amplifiers, even those as crude as rolled paper.

Artificial noise makers have been banned from high school sporting events without valid reason. In an interview Sandpoint High School Athletic Director Kris Knowles, he expressed his knowledge of the subject: “I really don’t know, all I know is that’s the rule and that’s what we try to [follow].”

“When I was a player at Coeur d’Alene high school you could have artificial noise makers […] it got really loud, it got really obnoxious,” he said.

Fans are a part of sports and the effect we can have is immense. It is ridiculous to ban noise makers from high school sports when they are allowed at every other level. Any collegiate sports will have noise makers as well as professional games.

The Idaho High School Activities Association (IHSAA) has banned artificial noise makers from all state tournament and qualifying games, and the Inland Empire League (IEL) has banned these noise makers from all indoor games.

These rules have no sound reason for being put in place, let alone upheld. Schools should allow students to express their full support, as long as it remains positive.

We hope to see noise makers legalized at high school games soon.

Editor’s Note: Our View represents the majority opinion of the Editorial Staff on a particular issue.