A new Instagram account has emerged at Bloomington South this year that’s piqued the interest of the school community, @bhss.barstool (BHSS Barstool). With its controversial hot takes and memes aimed at stirring up conversation and debate, the anonymous student-run account resembles Barstool Sports — a platform known for its humorous, and often edgy commentary on sports. In addition, BHSS Barstool has sparked a new kind of rivalry – as the new Instagram account rises from the shadows of its predecessor, @bhss6thman (6th Man).
Filling the Void
The Bloomington South 6th Man account, established in 2021, had long been the primary hub for school spirit at South, promoting themes for sporting events and encouraging student involvement and attendance. However, it has recently become less active. Sensing a need for representation, BHSS Barstool’s account admins decided to step in.
Both BHSS Barstool and 6th Man operate on the condition of anonymity. The secret nature of the account admins allows for more creativity and the ability to push the boundaries slightly more with their commentary. It also adds to the draw to the accounts because students don’t know who is behind the content.
“I created the account because the 6th Man wasn’t posting, and sports needed a [social media] page to represent themselves. I felt like someone had to do it,” explained BHSS Barstool’s account initiator.
The creator of BHSS Barstool, which more than five anonymous admins run, felt a need to revive the social media presence around South’s sports culture.
From the start, they didn’t shy away from referencing 6th Man, with its bio initially reading: “because 6th Man is lacking,” hinting at its intention to take over where the former anonymous student-run page had fallen short.
“We’re not in competition with them—they want to be like us. They try to steal our ideas before we post about them. It’s not really a competition,” one admin of BHSS Barstool said.
When asked what message they would send to 6th Man, the response was direct: “Come get it.”
Positive Reception and Morale Boost
The BHSS Barstool account has quickly gained traction among students and athletes alike, amassing over 500 followers since the beginning of August with many appreciating the humor and creativity behind the posts.
Junior Blake Azcui said “I feel like there’s probably a lot of mixed opinions on [the account]. I like when it supports South students [and] the South sporting events.” Azcui continued, “I know there’s a lot of trash-talking going on, [and] I’m not always the biggest fan of [that], but I know it’s something that a lot of people do, so I guess it is what it is in that sense.”
In addition to entertaining students, the account’s mission is to encourage a sense of pride and motivation for South student-athletes. “It’s definitely a big morale thing for the teams,” another admin shared. “My biggest goal was to give the athletes something to look forward to, upholding themselves to such a standard.”
Senior girls soccer player Ava Mobley, who has been featured in a post on the account said, “I think sometimes [the posts are] funny. It can be like a good way to get people to come to games because everyone reposts [the content], especially if [it’s] funny. It gets people hyped for the games [and] I’ve seen a good turnout for soccer this year [as a result].”
Both Mobley and Azcui, a running back and center back for the Panther football team, mentioned that BHSS Barstool posts about their respective teams occasionally get brought up in the locker room.
“We’ll make jokes or maybe some comments, but it’s nothing too serious or anything,” Azcui said.
While Barstool Sports is known for its often provocative and boundary-pushing content, the BHSS Barstool admins attempt to take a more measured approach, and directly states in their bio that they are not affiliated with the Bloomington South administration. However, admins did reveal that a teacher or coach monitors the posts to ensure the content remains appropriate for the school environment. “We have a teacher or a coach that makes sure [the posts don’t] go too far. Everything stays a little bit censored,” an admin explained.
Future Plans
The BHSS Barstool admins are excited about the future of the account and have plans to continue creating engaging content that reflects the energy and spirit of the school. As the account continues to grow, the admin team hopes to keep momentum high, sustaining student enthusiasm throughout the sports seasons. Their primary goal is to ensure athletes and students alike feel recognized and celebrated.
