City Life

From Scoreboard to Sideline
Ellie Gauthier
Friday, September 5, 2025

With Football season quickly approaching, our sports teams aren't the only group preparing. If you’ve ever attended a game, you most likely noticed just how many Spirit Groups come to support our athletes. From band drum major to varsity cheerleaders, Highsteppers to the Flagline Captain, several of these spirit groups don't get the recognition they deserve. So let's get a better understanding of their important roles, and the impact they have on Byrd games.

Austin James, the Band’s drum major, which is the person who conducts the band at competitions and games, explained that the tunes the band gets to play throughout the game uplifts the energy in the crowd and just overall makes the games more enjoyable to sit through. To further elaborate, James states, “We have afterschool practices where we prepare for games and rehearse our stand tunes and marching. We are up in the bleachers and we play the stand tunes to get everyone excited.” Austin makes it clear that he truly enjoys what he does in the Band, and his role contributes to the crowd's feeling once in the stands.

Maya Beasley, a Varsity Cheerleader explained that, like many other groups, the Varsity cheerleaders practice after school throughout the week to practice cheers, chants, and routines in preparation for the upcoming game. But the work doesn’t stop there. Beasley goes on to explain, “We practice every day of the week and go off campus on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. At football games, we decorate and hang banners, participate in run-out for the football players, as well as cheer and dance during games.” 

Camrey Wilson, a student that is an active member on the Flagline team, describes how much work the Flagline team puts into their craft. Wilson makes it known that,“We practice after school everyday and review our flag movements and halftime performances. We also participate in competitions every Saturday, alongside cheering in the stands and performing at home games at halftime. My favorite part about football games is having the opportunity to showcase our hard work through all of our routines.” Like the Cheerleaders and Highsteppers, Flagline cheers in the stands and performs at halftime. 

Zakyri Parker, a member of the Byrd Highsteppers, reveals that, “We start practicing and conditioning in the Summer, and before the games, we go over our performances and cheers to make sure we are prepared.” The Highsteppers radiate spirit throughout each of their performances, and you can really tell just how much hard work is put into each and every move. 

In conclusion, the Spirit Groups at Byrd put in so much hard work and dedication to their crafts whether it’s at games, a normal practice, or in the community. All these spirit groups work together to make the games, often spent in the Hive, an enjoyable and memorable experience.