Kaylee Hanson ‘24, Feature Editor
At SLHS, Friday football games drum up a massive amount of excitement and anticipation. Ending a long, hard week of assignments and stress by piling into the student section for a thrilling game is a welcome routine for many—but these Friday events are more than just a football game. For many students, football games are a time to show off their own interests, and get together with the community.
Pom and cheer are an essential but often overlooked part of our football community—from hyping up the student section with cheers and stunts, to performing new and unique routines each week—Fridays would not be complete without them. The work and preparation that goes into both the performances and sideline excitement is far more difficult than many would expect. Junior and cheerleader Emma Tupa recounted her experience at football games: “Football games are loud… but it’s fun to be encouraging, even if we are losing, just because you gotta keep a positive energy. Because if you want to be a cheerleader, you need to be a cheerleader, not a cheer-liar.” The pressure is strong for cheer to maintain the hype and motivate the collective of emotions that makes up our student section; but, the worthwhile experience of bringing that excitement and leading our school in a positive and excited experience is unmatched.
Pom and cheerleading are synonymous terms to many— but there is a distinct difference many might fail to see. Pom tends to focus mainly on dance and movement technique, opposed to cheer, which focuses more broadly on stunts, tumbling, and sideline cheers. The blurring of what the two different groups do often contributes to the lack of appreciation both get; each team contributes to the atmosphere and excitement of football games, but it is not often that they get their own specific praise and acknowledgement. Each week, the Pom team works hard to learn an entire new routine from the last. Senior and pom member Ashleigh Blair said, “I really like performing at halftimes. The energy on the sidelines is always really good before we perform, and everyone is always super excited at the practice.” The performances put on by the Pom team are clearly a meaningful and positive experience for those involved, one that deserves far more attention than the passing glance most halftime shows are given.
This is not the only half-time performer worthy of praise; another essential aspect of the classic American football game lies in our Pride of Lions Marching Band. Playing from the stands in support of our team, the ambience provided by the marching band, despite its small size, adds much to the atmosphere of the game and keeps spirits high as we strive for victory. At half time, this is taken to a whole new level; coming together from months of work, both musically and physically, the marching band performs a portion of their 2023 production, “The Legend of Mary Worth,” just a small piece of an eight minute production. Football games give the band a chance to present their hard work to the wider school community; Drum Major and senior Nathan Shang said when asked what the experience is like “I do enjoy going to football games with the marching band; it’s very fun.” Shang continued, “I think [performing at games] is a good way to practice our showmanship. It’s a good time cheering on our football team, and halftime is always fun, because we get to perform our show, getting us ready for competitions the next day. It’s all a very hype environment.”
Musicians are not the sole make-up of the marching band; equally responsible for the grandeur of this year’s show is the color guard. Through intense training in the summer and meticulous practice throughout the fall, the color guard perfects the combination of dance, acting, and most uniquely, the use of equipment, including flags, (wooden) rifles, and sabres (a thin, dull sword) to tell a story. The technique it takes to control and use these core elements, as well as other props like blankets and ribbons, is often highly underestimated. Color guard member and freshman Lilah Birdyshaw said about football games: “Football games are definitely my favorite; it’s like hanging out with your friends, but then also getting to perform something that genuinely brings you joy.” Birdyshaw continued to describe the feeling of performing: “It can be nerve-wracking. But, when you just turn your nervous energy into confidence, it’s really fun.”
The color guard performs with the rest of the marching band, but has its own individual season in the winter that the marching season serves to train for. However, both instruments and guard members are essential to the production of a successful show.
All of this is only a slight portion of the many different events football games present—outside, of course, football itself. From the student section’s roaring encouragement, to the monumental work put in by the staff who organize and coordinate the events, football games at SL create a moment for our school to come together and showcase many unique talents.
Lyon Life 