West Seattle schools: Pep rally preps Chief Sealth for big game

This morning, they were the guests of honor; in less than eight hours, they’ll be the main event. A pep rally for the Chief Sealth International High School boys’ basketball team (and others who’ve won big in competition lately) just wrapped up at the school gym about an hour ago, revving up the 1,000-plus student body for tonight’s 3A state-tournament game at the Tacoma Dome. That of course meant the fight song, starring the Sealth band and cheerleaders:

And a few words from head basketball coach Colin Slingsby (including a revelation about his “lucky pen”):

(Coach Slingsby’s work is about more than sports, as our partners at the Seattle Times reported last month – check out Steve Kelley‘s story.) The pep rally assembly also included a shoutout for Sealth’s achievers in state wrestling competition, mock trial, and the drum line, which performed a sample of their celebrated work, as well as a three-point-shot faceoff between players and staff (we hope to add a bit more video later) plus a reminder about the upcoming World Water Week, March 21-25 at Sealth (previewed here last month).

If you’re interested in going to Tacoma to cheer for Sealth tonight, the game vs. Bellevue is at 7:15 pm; ticket information is here – along with words of warning that parking is a challenge in the area (construction projects are under way).

11 Replies to "West Seattle schools: Pep rally preps Chief Sealth for big game"

  • Slider March 3, 2011 (12:48 pm)

    I love Chief Sealth beyond belief, my son goes to school there but what’s wrong with the students not singing along to the fight song!?!?!?! When I was in high school(not Sealth) they taught our school song to us at our 9th grade orientation.

    Go CSI!!!

  • GenHillOne March 3, 2011 (1:36 pm)

    Meh, I wouldn’t read too much into that one shot, Slider. There’s plenty of school spirit, it’s just “different” now (read *we’re old* LOL). There are buses going to Tacoma for the game and I’m prepared with lots of rags because I suspect there will be gobs of red & blue face paint to remove tonight :) Good luck Hawks!

    • WSB March 3, 2011 (1:44 pm)

      I’ve heard the anthem a gazillion times now after also helping cover sports starting last year (and I shot the video this morning) and … if it has words, I don’t think I’ve ever heard them! But I never learned lyrics to either fight song of the 2 schools I went to, and can’t recall the tunes, either. Trust me, it was a spirited event! – TR

  • Patrick Sand March 3, 2011 (2:51 pm)

    For all the football and basketball games I’ve ever been to I have not so far heard anybody sing along to any of the fight songs.

  • Gina March 3, 2011 (3:00 pm)

    miws–can you recite one line from the Sealth song?

    Westside High, my alma mater is as far as I can get with the West Seattle one.

  • me on 28th Ave SW March 3, 2011 (4:46 pm)

    When I was in high school back in the 80s, we had a fight song at Rainier Beach. I don’t think they sing it anymore.
    “Down By the Lake”.
    Down by the lake at old RB high,
    we are the team that’s bursting with pride.
    Viking power leads the way
    and we are fighting come what may.
    We are with you Vikings, show us your stuff.
    We are the team that is really tough.
    And our spirit you will see will lead us to victory!

    YAY!

  • me on 28th Ave SW March 3, 2011 (4:48 pm)

    Friends of Sealth website lists the following:

    Chief Sealth Fight Song
    Fight On Seahawks, Fight!
    Go S-E-A-L-T-H
    Fight S-E-A-L-T-H
    Win for the Alma Mater
    Fight for Sealth High!
    Red, Blue and White
    Fight, Fight, Fight
    Onward to Victory
    So Hail to our Alma Mater
    Fight on Seahawks, Fight!

  • Paula Saunders-Tortorice March 3, 2011 (5:21 pm)

    I’m happy to hear that Chief Sealth is in the State playoffs. Congratulations!

    To Gina – you are correct in stating the first line of the West Seattle High School Alma Mater. I have the rest of the words on my desk at school, but have not yet committed them to memory (read on…).

    During the 1970’s and before, each high school in the district not only had an Alma Mater song, but a fight song as well. They were played at every assembly and sporting event throughout the school year.

    I have to comment on the video posted by WSB regarding the Sealth “fight song”. No way was that the traditional fight song. In my day, we did not play “On Wisconsin” as a fight song. It was something the band played to let the cheer squad dance to and get the parents and students pumped up during events. The words to the Chief Sealth fight song were, to the best of my recollection:

    Go S-E-A-L-T-H
    Fight S-E-A-L-T-H
    Win for our Alma Mater
    Fight for Sealth High!
    Red, Blue, and White! Fight! Fight! Fight!
    Onward to victory!
    Sing, Hail to our Alma Mater
    Hail to Chief Sealth High!

    I’m not an expert, but have a younger Alumni of WSHS singing the Alma Mater words to the best of her recollection to me while I type this. Think of the final scene in “Dirty Dancing” and Max closing the hotel for the season:

    Westside High, my Alma Mater
    We stay true to thee.
    All my love and strong devotion,
    We remain with thee.
    Win or lose we will stand by thee,
    Firm and loyal too (firm and loyal too!)
    Westside High my Alma Mater
    Hail, Oh hail to thee!

    I hope others in West Seattle will correct my words for both schools. The older I get, the more I forget! :D

    I’m a proud band member of Chief Sealth ’71-74, All-City Band for the same three years, and now teacher at West Seattle High School – yeah, you can leave those comments to yourself ;-)

  • miws March 3, 2011 (8:28 pm)

    Gina, but of course!

    .

    Chief Sealth Fight Song
    Fight On Seahawks, Fight!
    Go S-E-A-L-T-H
    Fight S-E-A-L-T-H
    Win for the Alma Mater
    Fight for Sealth High!
    Red, Blue and White
    Fight, Fight, Fight
    Onward to Victory
    So Hail to our Alma Mater
    Fight on Seahawks, Fight!

    .

    Okay, so I cheated and copy & pasted from above. ;) I actually did not remember it at all. But then again, I wasn’t into sports or many of the extra curricular activities.

    .

    Paula, we probably passed in the hallway during your Senior year. I graduated Class of ’76.

    .

    Mike

  • Seahawker March 3, 2011 (10:03 pm)

    I attend Chief Sealth, and it’s true, our student body doesn’t really sing to our to fight song. The problem is, no one actually taught us the lyrics and how it goes. At my freshman orientation, it oddly wasn’t mentioned at all. This year my sibling is a freshman and it was the same. So to answer why we don’t sing our fight song, it’s because no one really knows it!

    Regardless of that, Sealth is a VERY spirited school, and I love it here! The Hawks Nest is always loud and cheering from the bleachers for our basketball team at every game!

  • Seahawk March 16, 2011 (7:23 pm)

    I go to sealth right now too, as a cheerleader so I do know the words, and I think you guys are confusing the fight song with the alma mater, which is also a song. I admit no one really knows the alma mater except maybe the choir, but there arent very many words in the fight song, it is only “S…E…A…L..T..H.. Chief Sealth, Seahawks… Go Seahawks, Go!” One time.

Sorry, comment time is over.