The unsung heroes of the fall

Bands and cheerleaders are an integral part of each Friday night. Sometimes you don’t realize how much you need them at football games until you go one where one or both teams don’t have them.

Think about it for a minute: if your band wasn’t there to play the fight song when the football team ran on the field, there just wouldn’t be the same enthusiasm from the fans. The team wouldn’t get fired up to play.

Waiting through halftime would be boring. Sure, you could visit the concession stand or take a trip to the restroom, but nothing would happen for 20 minutes.

If the cheerleaders weren’t there, the fans wouldn’t cheer as much or as loud. Sometimes, cheerleaders are the only ones cheering for the team. They also help the student section keep the level of excitement up during the game.

If you don’t think the band and cheerleaders have an impact on the game, just ask the 1994 Mortimer Jordan High School football team. I was in the band that year and we learned “The Imperial March,” Darth Vader’s theme in “Star Wars,” to play in the stands.

The very first time we played it during a game, one of our guys intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. We turned around and played the fight song.

That just shows you the impact bands and cheerleaders have.

Later this month, we will feature those two groups in a special section. We realize that bands and cheerleaders work just as hard as the football team preparing for each football season. They may not get the spotlight as much, but they’re just as important.

So watch for it later this month and please cheer for the band and cheerleaders just as much as you do for the team.

Brent Maze is the managing editor of the Hartselle Enquirer.