Generally, everyone knows high school football has a culture of its own. From the border to the panhandle, Texas football is so much more than just a game- it’s a way of life. The tradition and history has manifested itself into a fan favorite at high schools across the state. With Joshua being a town of small size, Friday night football has become a fan favorite, garnering a unique sense of community and acclamation for the sport. But it’s not just the game itself that makes a football game so extraordinary. School spirit builds up its own type of eagerness for Friday night football. Students become animated with excitement as the week progresses to end, leading to the togetherness and spirit that comes alive at football games. Different programs like band, cheer, Sweethearts, and more also have preparations of their own in order to add to the electric feeling of Friday night lights. There is so much that goes into crafting the perfect high school football games, especially in Joshua.
Kicking Off Owl Spirit
The impact of high school football in Texas goes further than just the scoreboard. Its rich history, deeply steeped tradition, and sense of community has been built overtime. For some, Owl Stadium is so much more than just playing grounds. It’s where friendships are forged, community has come together, people have grown, and school history is made. Relationships have been forged both on the football field and off the football field.
“The sense of family our players have, they will fight for each other, and their toughness. Our mantra is Family, Integrity, Selfless, Toughness,” football coach Jeremy Gillmore said. “Many people also see the BWB we have on uniforms/shirts. That stands for Brick Wall Brotherhood. Our kids have learned that we believe in each other so much and our bond is so tight that we are willing to run through “brick walls” for each other.”
Friday night lights bring together students, staff, parents, and more to honor tradition, community, and school spirit. The school is no different when it comes to spirit. Every Friday, students and staff all around the school can be seen sporting gear for whatever spirit theme takes place that day. Students tend to go all out to show their pride and support. They can be seen wearing from as simple as a plain T-shirt to be on theme, all the way to students and staff suiting up into full on costumes. These spirit days have become a culture of their own, building even more excitement for the Friday to come.
“School spirit to me is showing how you are happy to be in school and appreciating this opportunity to participate in events,” junior Aubreigh Peveto said. “My favorite part is seeing all the students get creative with how they express each theme.”
While it might not be a part of the actual game festivities, pep rallies and spirit days are also a major part of the spirit and sense of community behind the games. Students being able to participate in school spirit gives them an opportunity to show their pride for the school and football team.
Students also not only get a chance to participate in the fun of performances and games that come alongside a pep rally, but also represent their grade level by doing the class chants at the end of each pep rally. The level of enthusiasm that radiates from a pep rally alone allows students to ramp up their adrenaline and energy. This keeps their spirits high and excitement flowing through to the game that follows.
“My favorite part of pep rallies are the class chants. I always prepare during the entire pep rally and push my way down to the gym floor so that I can be as loud as possible,” senior Emma Rodgers said. “I love the class chants because they add a little bit of challenge between the classes. I think that pep rallies are perfect for ramping people up.”
The class chants give each grade level a chance to enjoy each other and join forces to represent their pride and fight for the best class to win the spirit stick.
“I think it’s nice that we have the chance to do the class chants.” senior Tyler Airheart said. “As a senior, it’s fun to experience this with other seniors because I think we all know in the back of our minds that these are the last few times we have all of us together before we walk the stage.”
Finally Taking The Field
For football players, Friday night lights are more than just simply touchdowns and tackles. For the football team, the game is rooted with community, passion, and athleticism. Each year, the team is different and their work and dedication is what defines how the season plays out. Players use their connection with their teammates as a touchstone that unites them, fuels competition, and inspires each other to give it all they can on the field.
“There have been a lot of kids who have come through here in the past and played football,” Gillmore said. “I can say with certainty that this group is different.”
A lot goes into ensuring team morale is at the highest it can be in order to bring home a win. Every play on the field is a factor in that. For every hard tackle, big play, or touchdown, our stadium roars in acclamation for our team. That affects the players, and their drive to keep up momentum and energy.
“What gets me hyped for a football game is the atmosphere of the school, the atmosphere of the team, and overall just the atmosphere of everything around me,” right guard Benjamin Schneck said.
The collective energy from fans, students, players, and more are what gives Joshua an edge that fuels players to perform to their very best they can. The small-town feel means nothing once players take the field and it’s time for kick off. The medley of band, cheer, and fans builds anticipation that is felt among every player on the turf.
More Than A One-Man Show
Football wouldn’t be the same without the electrifying atmosphere provided by band, cheer, the dance team, and more. Together, they are as much of a part of the experience as the game itself. They create the energy that keeps the crowd engaged and the spirit alive. Each organization showcases their hard work and talent.
The Sweetheart drill team never breaks their perfect synchronization once they take the field. Even when walking up and into the bleachers, they are often seen taking every step in perfect harmony. This isn’t just by chance or luck; Sweethearts practice each week perfecting a new halftime routine for each game. When they strut onto the field, all eyes go onto them in anticipation for their performance. Performing has connected their team, which creates their own sense of community and family that is similarly forged in other aspects of Friday night football.
“Performing means the world to me,” Sweetheart Lieutenant Brenlee Burns said. “These girls are my sisters and having this home to go to and having fun cheering on the football team and band just makes everything so fun and the energy electric.”
The Spirit of Joshua Marching Band sets the tone for the whole night. From scales of notes to warm up to stadium echoing stand tunes, the band ensures that Friday night football has a soundtrack of spirit. SOJ starts out each week by practicing on a consistent basis in order to guarantee perfection in every note showcased on and off the field.
“There’s a lot of prep that goes into our halftime show and the songs we play in the stands. It starts in summer, at the end of July, and we have music sessions so everyone learns the show music right from over the summer,” Drum Major Thandeka Kabo said. “Once school starts, we have two-hour rehearsals Monday morning and Tuesday and Thursday evenings. We also have an hour-long stadium rehearsal on Friday mornings. In these rehearsals, we learn the drill you see us march at halftime and start to perfect it with every rehearsal.”
The halftime show is where SOJ and Sweethearts come together to show off their talent. Both organizations get to show off their talent and skill they have worked off. Halftime is easily a celebration of choreography and athleticism for both organizations. SOJ and Sweethearts perform precisely planned out performances, adding a layer of artistry and creativity to the night. Their performances extend further than just for the crowd, they go for the players as well. Players feed off the energy these groups provide.
The connections between the players and sidelines creates a relationship that heightens the excitement for everyone.
“I love the band,” quarterback Cesar Beltran said. “I feel like they play a big part with the tempo of the game and help everyone feel the situation we are in on the field.”
Keeping the Spirit Alive
Some argue that the student section is the most lively part of a football game. Students gather together with their friends and classmates to cheer on the game and experience it together. The atmosphere coming from the stands has energy that is just as charged as the action on the field. Often students go all out on spirit days, sporting the most extreme spirit gear and really add a fun twist to the games. Getting to pump up not only the crowd, but also players, is a unique opportunity students have. The chanting, cheering, and coordinated responses keeps athletes energized and makes an electric atmosphere that can’t be replaced. Celebrating the football team and embracing the community is what the student section does best.
“The student section has a big impact on the game. If we are loud, not only does it get us pumped, but it gets the players feeling good and gets their adrenaline going. Football is a game of momentum, and the louder we are, the bigger chance we have to give our team their momentum for the game,” Student Section Leader Mikey Gerhardt said. “The student sections also lead me to a lot of new connections, especially with kids I have never talked to. The student section is a great place to connect, not just for me, but for everyone in the section.”
Cheerleaders also have a responsibility to keep the energy up for fans and athletes. Cheerleaders have a unique mix of routines filled with dances, chants, and stunts they get to perform at pep rallies and on the sidelines. These cheers are important to both the game and the audience as they keep spirits high and the energy up. Cheerleaders often fill lulls in the game like timeouts and breaks with exciting routines and crowd interaction that have become a tradition of their own. Their presence at any game symbolizes the spirit and energy the community brings.
“I believe it adds encouragement to the football players and parents,” senior cheerleader Kendall Criner said. “We support everyone, even when doing games with the other team’s cheerleader.”
Game Over
Friday night isn’t just about football; it’s about an entire community coming together to celebrate school spirit, athleticism, and talent. Every organization has their own key part in making a game electric. These organizations work together to create an atmosphere that leaves a lasting impact on fans, students, and players. It’s clear that Joshua football games are filled with those who are fueled by dedication and passion. So no matter what the final score is, that sense of community and connection can’t be beat.
“Football means everything to me,” Beltran said. “It’s my life; it’s nowhere near just a game to me. It’s made me the person I am today, and I hope it will continue to help me grow into the man I know it can make me be.”
