Who has the Better View?

Senior Deandre Campbell takes the field in uniform.
Senior Mitch Broddon finds his seat in the student section. Game night has arrived.
The bleachers filled with loud and school-spirited souls. The players were ready and determined. The band blared their music that quickly reached the stands.
“The student section are the ones who yell the loudest, taunt the other side, and make sure we’re the loudest we can be. Also, our aim is to help the team win by cheering them on,” senior Mitch Broddon said.
If you’re always in the student section cheering on the football players, marching band, cheerleading, dancers, color guard do you ever wonder what it feels like to be the one performing?
Sophomore Anthony Klein, played football his freshman year, but due to his other commitments Klein opted out of football this year. His tough decision left his Friday nights looking a little different than what he wishes, because as he acknowledged he would rather be on the field playing than watching from the stands.
“Football was always super fun. Being at practice everyday and on the field during games with your friends is great, but since it was my “third sport” I decided I needed some down time to focus on baseball, weightlifting, and basketball,” Klein said
Senior Deandre Campbell is out on the field every Friday and loves to play and couldn’t imagine his Friday nights any other way.
“I don’t wish to be in the stands but I’m curious of what it would feel like to be in the student section watching and cheering,” Campbell said. Campbell loves the camaraderie. “It feels great. My teammates are my best friends and playing with them every night under the lights is always fun,” Campbell said.
While everyone is enjoying the game, the band members work hard to play the music that pumps up the stands. A lot of the students do not realize how much work their fellow peers do to make the football game a success.
Marching band member Nick White loves crowded and eventful nights.
“It’s a lot of fun to play up in the stands and be with friends because one second you’re having a interesting conversation or watching the game and the next thing you know you are told to play The Victors (Central’s’ fight song) for the thousandth time. The band also gives the crowd spirit,” White said.
Along with band, cheerleaders also make sure the crowd is into the game and excited to be there. The cheerleaders scream and chant as loud as they can, they lift the whole games spirit, which really shows off pride in our school. Junior Mari Krivelow is on the sidelines cheering at the varsity games this year, rather than in the stands.
“I love cheering, but I miss being in the stands with all my friends. It feels really great since there’s always so many people in the crowd at home games and I love cheering with my team,” Krivelow said.
The dance team performs at every Friday night home game. Ellie Chamberlin is the only freshman on varsity dance team. Most people do not know the feeling to perform in front of that many people.
“When I am getting ready to perform the audience does give me nerve because I don’t want to mess up in front of all those people but when I walk on to perform the audiences hype really brings up my energy and I’m excited to perform. When I am performing and everyone is cheering and clapping I know that I am doing a great job and they bring up my performance level,” Chamberlin said.
Football games are the way a lot of students spend their Friday nights, but most people don’t know how much commitment goes into every game. Everyone plays a different role in the evening which is the key to having a fun and entertaining night. Without all these roles no one would enjoy these games the way they do and come back every week to support the team and performers.