We felt a need to bringtogether in a more formal way all the spirit teams who had been operating as individual separate groups.   THE SPIRIT INITIATIVE CONCEPT was to integrate our spirit teams and organize them to work as one unit and to create and maintain a Positive GAME ENVIRONMENT as a full package.   We now organize all our “spirit groups” to not only send a positive message through their cheers & music, but to work together as student- groups for a common cause. The Spirit Initiative was an obvious evolution based on the growing interest from our student body in our Pep band, Dance team and Cheerleading squad.  We gained further support from an Undergraduate Student Government Association Club fan group. We asked the fan club to further push the Positive Game Environment message along with our spirit teams.  The basketball time-outs and half-time not only affords them an opportunity to perform for their peers, faculty, staff and community spectators but contributes to creating a true positive environment based on teamwork.  We also encouraged our “”Charger” mascot to “participate” along with the band, cheerleaders/dance team to complete the “Team”.  The PA announcer and the leaders for each group discuss the program for each game’s time-outs and half-times.  The mascot, dance team pep band & cheerleaders coordinate music and positive cheering to keep our fans and local community crowd engaged throughout the event.