Golden Fleece - Volume 42, Issue 1

by KATIEPRITCHARD | Staff Writer

It’s Friday and the buzz of tonight’s seven o’clock football game is circling through the halls.

“When you think of football, you think of Friday Night Lights,” senior Caroline Allison said. “I love seeing everyone come out and cheer on our team.

“The fact that we have our super seniors lead in the front is really cool. I feel like that helps get all the underclassmen hyped and shows them what it means to cheer on your team. Even though we aren’t always winning, they’re your friends on the field, and they’re doing their best,” Allison said.

A super senior is a student council representative who earns free access to all sporting events for the 2019-20 school year. Student council advisor Taylor Sluder picks the two students, one female and one male. Seniors Mason Murray and Adam Eisen have been chosen to represent the Class of 2020.

“They do a really good job leading the student section,” Allison said, “and they always participate with the themes.”

Allison believes having themes for games is an added benefit.

“You want to show up and be all dressed up with all your friends. Cute pictures are taken and I feel like it’s an incentive to come and hang out with your friends. I feel like when we have theme nights for other sports, like soccer, more kids show up and are excited for the game,” she said.

For the first home football game this season, Roberson students participated in a “Neon Night” theme.

Varsity cheerleader and junior Elizabeth Gempe says being a cheerleader at the front of the student section is a memorable experience.

“It’s pretty cool when everyone is involved and people get dressed up. It feels like we’re a part of something. You feel that community aspect, and everyone’s together,” Gempe said.

Gempe believes the cheerleaders help to further the experience of Friday Night Lights.

“It’s important for people to always keep their spirits raised, even when it’s difficult. I feel like the cheerleaders give out that extra pep and momentum, which adds more energy and spirit to the whole game and experience,” she said.

When picking out what cheers to call, Gempe says, “for the most part we try to keep up the same energy. Even if it feels like we’re losing, we try to make it seem like we’re not.”

-- REBEKAH CALLOWAY |ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

Senior varsity football players Michael Morris and Colson Graham are convinced that having a big student section adds energy to the game.

“It feels good having people at our games. It definitely adds more energy to the game,” Morris said, “It’s nice knowing you have people behind you, backing you up and cheering you on.”

Graham agrees and feels that “the bigger the student section, the more exciting the game is. It’s more fun to be around and gives us more energy for the game.”

Among those supporting the team on Friday nights is Assistant Principal Rebekah Calloway, who joined Roberson’s staff at the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year and has been working to get more students involved at sporting events.

“It’s important for whole school morale,” Calloway said, “I try to recruit people to go to the games, and talk about the themes, and tell people to yell.

Junior Isabelle Ingle has noticed Calloway’s efforts from the student section.

“She is a very important influence. She keeps us engaged in the game, and she is always trying to make our student section look better and sound louder,” she said.

Calloway believes it’s important for students to come out to sporting events because of its several benefits.

“It’s one of the most important things to build relationships with your peers and to be a part of the whole school community. It helps with school success. Having students who feel like they’re a part of the school is really linked to higher graduation rates,” Calloway said.

Energy, school pride and attendance are qualities that Calloway feels create a good student section. She also feels that themes are another important aspect of creating an overall better experience at sporting events, specifically football games.

“The themes bring out more people to the game. It helps when it’s not directly related to football because it engages students who aren’t really into it (football),” Calloway said.

Another aspect of engagement for some students is Roberson’s marching band. “The Marching Rams” are led by senior drum majors Sion Kim and Tyler Cupp.

Caroline Allison|12

“I feel like we play the same role as the cheerleaders and engage the crowd, not only for the football part but for the musical part. We show the crowd and the student section that we’re having fun; we try to lead by example,” Kim said.

Calloway trusts that there’s a tradition to Friday Night Lights.

“The tradition of Friday Night Lights is being revived at Roberson this year, with a greater number of students attending games,” she said.

Marching Band ACCOMPLISHMENTS • LAND OF SKY • ENKA HIGH SCHOOL 2ND PLACE- COLOR GUARD 1ST PLACE- DRUM MAJOR 2ND PLACE- PRECUSSION 1ST PLACE- MUSIC • PERFORMANCE 1ST PLACE- BEST IN CLASS 4A • CEDAR CLIFFS CLASSIC TOURNAMENT • GRAND CHAMPIONS 3A-5A 1ST PLACE- COLOR GUARD 1ST PLACE- DRUM MAJOR 2ND PLACE- PRECUSSION 1ST PLACE- MUSIC • PERFORMANCE 1ST PLACE- OVERALL • NAMED BAND OF THE DAY