What was the score of the game last night? Who played well in the match this weekend? Where do they play tomorrow? All these questions can be answered through the use of social media.

Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube, are very common places to find scores, statistics, dates and the time of a sporting event. Social media has been able to keep students, teachers and parents updated on the performance of players and teams.

Twitter profiles like @SportsatBlake, @coachrath, and individual team twitters all tweet scores, allowing students who aren’t at a particular game to feel more connected to it. Furthermore, Facebook event pages have become often humorous spots to highlight players in the event description and rally crowd support.

Social media has also allowed teams to bond together and share funny comments in private team pages. Caroline Uphus ’15 explains that “being able to post things in that private group gives a sensation of community and security, it brings teams closer together.” Everyone can contribute to the team this way and “have a lot of fun doing it.”

All the good aspects of social media for sports fans and players alike are truly exemplary, but the less-than-ideal effects of social media on sports is also a reality. Nick Hughes ’15 states “social media, when it comes to sports, does more harm than good.”

There can be posts just about the game or there can be posts directed towards certain players. The ones towards individual teammates “usually result in negative effects,” explains Jack Moe ’18. Sarah Chute ‘18 agrees: “There is always a concern about players posting chirps that are offensive.” Coaches and parents watch for these posts on social media sites, as some are bad enough to have had resulted in game suspensions or team dismissal.

Overall, social media is a great system to disperse live information. The enjoyment and information gained from these sites allows for everyone, young and old, to access statistics, scores and events throughout the high school. However, this power must come with level of responsibility to report the game without hurting players or offending others.