ITS ON ...

Football Helmet

​The whistle blows the ball is kicked...its on... If you are travelling to America and you want to experience what life in America is like for families in public schools… take yourselves along to a High School Football match on a Friday Night. It will cost you probably around $5 each to get in, and you will experience a real treat. Just see if there is a school around where you are staying and research if they have any home games. Obviously check out the area first, see if you feel safe. I can recommend most schools in Irvine, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach if that helps.

In California parental support at sporting events, like the High Schools football games is huge. Along with local community members, alumni (who are treated like rock stars) and the general school population. It feels like half the town comes out to watch every single home game.

Californian high schools play football competitions on Friday evenings at local schools, and let me tell you they are awesome. The school spirit and spectacular is incredible. Not on the same scale as seeing a professional game but still wonderful and local. It is something to experience – yes its over the top – yes its out there (according to aussie standards) -but yes it is also like stepping onto the set of a Disney movie. Except it is real! Friday Night games are kind of a big deal over here.

Before the helmets collide, bodies slam into each other and school varsity teams play football, entertainment is provided to prepare the crowd for activities of the night. There are marching bands, cheer squads, player interviews, colour guard performers and if you are lucky enough home coming pageants, set to delight you. There is usually a plethora of food delights (or not) such as cheese balls, hotdogs, buffalo wings all for sale and consumption. The foodie in me cringes, but the practice of eating game food ‘ritualistically’ is pivotal to the enjoyment of the experience.

The grounds are spectacularly cared for akin to the precision of the MCG grooming before a test match. The stands are rustic and the atmosphere is electric. It doesn’t matter if the home team is winning or loosing people cheer and support anyway.

As an Aussie new to American high school football games, I am astonished with the sheer volume of people out to support these school teams. School members, teachers, parents, families, past school members, local community and even the local press all out to support their school. Thousands of people, every Friday night! Its fun, full of colour and exciting.

Let me share with you the concept, that is the colour guard! The color guard (usually girls with colourful long flags on poles) interpret the music that the marching band are playing. Its wonderful, like watching synchronized swimming but without the water. They work the flags, or sabers, sometimes rifles through dance – not sure dance is the word – more like “physie’ moves! Remember that synchronised, team-based sport that we all participated in when we were young. Yes, that is what it is like ‘physie’ crossed with rhythmic gymnastics and flag poles.

They usually march on with the marching band -which I have experienced sometimes can contain up to 500 kids – all in uniform (hats, jackets, buttons, flashy shoes, trumpets, trombones, cymbals and drums) The word that comes to mind is ‘adorned’. Adorned in; flashy colors, sashes, plumes and all marching in formation to the beat of a drum. Like the Aussie kids marching at the opening of the Sydney Olympics. Walk here, stop there, turn around, now on three march again, form the letter A, now C – so much fun!

The pride felt when they march on is palatable, maybe it is the volume of kids, or the movement but it brings with it a sense of pride, pomp and circumstance.

High school football games are a social event, but there is an also actual sport being played. By the way, when I say football I mean gridiron. Big boys, playing hard, playing fast! Coaches, refs, whistles, commentators, scoreboards and of course sound effects across the PA. OH! As a side note - I cant get over the way the crowd respects alumni of the school, they are treated like celebrities. I was wondering whether my high school would do the same for me!

Let me tell you half time is a twenty minute visual and auditory extravaganza. Cheer girls, marching bands, a baton twirling pageant. However it does not stop there, during the game there is a section for the band- yes all 500 of them – in the stand and they play accent pieces according to what is happening on the field. I have heard they are supposed to take the energy from the crowd and transfer it into music.

Then there is also another section where the actual high school student supporters (and remember most High Schools, Grade 9 through 12, contain 3 to 4 thousand kids) sit all in “spirit” school attire. They shout cheer and socialise enthusiastically as well. There is also action under and behind the bleacher seating. So maybe might want to avoid sending the kids back there by themselves.

It all blends to be an unbelievable night, that if you can as tourists, must experience.

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