Football Culture and COVID

You enter the packed stadium with a group of friends, all decked out in glitter and spirit wear. The sound of music and cheers fills your ears and you rush to get a good spot on the bleachers even though you know you won’t be sitting down. You’ll be up laughing, taking pictures and screaming for each touchdown. Football season has officially begun.

The energy of a football game is palpable, and for most students, it is one of the great joys of high school and a highly anticipated event of Friday nights. But after 18 months, is it still the same? The consensus says… no.

School might be back, but school spirit isn’t. The majority of Green Hope students agree that the social aspect is the highlight of football games. Knowing this, it is unfortunate that after interviewing students about the biggest difference between pre-COVID and current football games, the most common answer was “lack of spirit.” COVID-19 has obviously changed how people live and work, especially in the school environment, but for those who were hopeful that football might be a "return to normalcy", the current situation has been especially disappointing. However, the main concern is that Green Hope is lacking school spirit at a time where it most needs it.

One student describes “The shared community” as a pivotal part of any game. This feeling of fellowship is something that students have been without for the last eighteen months and even if the stands are full, the sense of togetherness is missing. Still, the other problem is that stands actually aren’t full; in fact, there was a noticeable amount of people missing from the Friday night games. While the reason for this cannot be pinpointed, there are some theories, the biggest one being fear of exposure. Virtual academy has also led to about 900 fewer students at school meaning there are not as many people going to watch football. Furthermore, another aspect to consider is the fact that Green Hope has not had many home games, something which always brings in the fans. Students agree that once home games make a comeback, stands will fill up quickly; but for the issue of school spirit at large, there is one group willing to help, seniors!

For those who had the opportunity to experience pre-COVID games, you may remember the chanting and clapping, but do you remember who got the ball rolling? It was the seniors, front and center at every game. They were always dressed up and full of energy, and now, after being quarantined for the past year and a half, it is time for the newest generation of seniors to take on this responsibility. The class of 2022 is ready to bring that energy back into the stands! A few seniors in particular said they are overjoyed for football season and, “excited to raise school spirit.” Be assured that football is back and it is looking to be an amazing season. We here at the GH Falcon hope to see you bring your spirit this Friday night where the Falcons will fight for 55 against Panther Creek!

For updates on the football season you can follow the Green Hope Athletics and the Green Hope football account on Instagram @greenhopefalcons and @ghhsfalconfootball respectively.