The new Renegade Lair is a student cheering section focusing on increasing student participation in the Bakersfield College sports arenas. The student government association is planning on selling a $30 Lair Sports Pass, which allows the student to attend all home sporting events as a member of the Renegade Lair. A Renegade Lair T-shirt is also provided to the members.

Athletic director Ryan Beckwith believes getting the student body more involved in what is going on athletically will only help build the pride of BC.

“I think that’s something that has been missing over the last few years is just the overall student involvement, and the actual reaction on campus to having a huge contest, or a big win, or some type of championship,” said Beckwith. “Not only will it help the student athletes that are playing, it motivates the coaches, gives a little bit more collegiate feel on campus, and it might get some of the professors out, on top of the ones that already do.

“That’s one of the most important things about the atmosphere and the collegiate feel, is having the school’s students coming out and supporting.”

Beckwith expressed some of the concerns from athletes that wished more students would go out and participate in the athletic community to show their support.

“They seem pretty excited about the idea of having other students coming out to support them,” he said. “This is a way to try to incentivize students to have a group that they can belong to.”

Currently only some games draw a crowd, such as the BC volleyball game against L.A. Pierce on Oct. 3, and Beckwith hopes the lair will bring that night’s atmosphere to more contests.

“We packed the gym,” he said. “There was close to a thousand people in our gym, and the atmosphere was just incredible, and so what we’re trying to do is have a student group that is part of that.”