Now, all things considered, why would people even stay in the team? 

You get a nice status boost for sure, but what really ropes people in is the fact that just by being in the team you are guaranteed not only extracurricular credit, but also a stellar recommendation letter from the principal.

It has been strongly implied that due to Kel being the principal's daughter, she could pull at her sweet daddy's heartstrings and get us those recommendation letters, or make us suffer the consequences if we go against her. On top of that, the principal also has ties to other heads of higher education in the nearby towns.

Basically the point is, being on good terms with the Kels can in many cases be a shortcut into getting a scholarship. 

A possible full-ride for Uni just for kissing some ass? It was tempting for many. 

In Crestview even the smallest bit of help is necessary to get your foot through the door to an established school and to a chance to escape this excuse of a small town. I would say it’s more like a village. A hamlet, even. It’s literally just a small hill with a residential area looking over the school premises, and some local businesses sprinkled here and there.

Our small… “town” is notorious for essentially only having very few options for employment. Either you’ll work at your family business, or if that’s not an option for you, you’ll have to try to get employed at one of the bigger nearby towns or cities. Outside Crestview the competition is ruthless in the job market. It’s practically impossible to get employed without a good education or connections in the industry.

Considering the lengths people were willing to go to makes the depth of their despair pretty clear. While I’ve grown to love the quietness of the area, I just didn’t see how I’d be able to get employed there. I need a stable job. Nothing fancy, but still more than I’d ever be able to achieve just staying in Crestview. I simply can’t settle for anything less.

I needed all the help I could get and I will admit I, too, was blinded by my desperation.