Band director Dr. Warren stands before forty-odd band members, correcting their warm up before a game. “This is what people are paying for, with brief breaks in between for football!” Though he is joking, there is a little bit of truth in every good joke; it takes many groups working in tandem to turn a football game into an experience complete with music, food, and dance. These are the groups responsible, and here is the work they put in the day of the game.
Way, way before the game ASB chooses a game theme and makes posters during 8th period or their Leadership periods. They also create the announcement scripts to be read out during the game. Band and cheer practice their stand music and cheer routines. Robotics puts together a team to drive and shoot the T-shirt cannon.
Game Day
4:30 Cheer team call time. In addition to the halftime show, the cheerleaders are expected to cheer the whole game for Junior Varsity and Varsity football with almost no breaks.
5:00 Breaker Band’s drumline call time. The drumline carries their stands down to the football field and returns to the band room to practice. They play cadences, or drumline-only songs while marching. To perfect these cadences, the drumline has to regularly meet outside of class time during lunch.
5:30 Call time for the rest of the band. They are expected to be in uniform and ready to play. They warm up, iron out the details of their halftime routine and stand music, and line up.
6:00 The Breaker Girls arrive to perform a quick warmup. The dance team has only had the opportunity to practice their routine around three times per show, and never with the band playing, so they must work quickly. Their first full performance will be at the football game.
Right Before Kickoff: Band plays Tunnel Song as the Varsity team enters, then plays the national anthem and PG Will Shine.
First Quarter ASB brings a bucket of freebies for the student section. These freebies are on-theme pom poms, face paint, beads, and other fun items. ASB finances the giveaways almost exclusively through the sale of ASB stickers (that’s why they’re called that!). The BreakerBots periodically shoot T-shirts into the crowd – a huge crowd pleaser!
Halftime is for the show. The cheer team kicks things off with their routine, followed by the band and dance team. They collaborate on some songs for a live dance and music performance, and perform others individually. Occasionally, visiting cheer or dance teams round things off.
Third Quarter The marching band takes a break. To keep the stands full of music, ASB will soon debut a third quarter student DJ. The robotics team leaves, taking the T-shirt cannon with them.
After the Game Ends the marching band lines up on the field a final time to march back up to the music room. As the students file out, the ASB club sticks around to clean up everyone’s trash and keep our campus clean.
With so many home games each football season, many of these student groups start the process all over again the next week. As well as a sporting event, these games are an opportunity for upwards of five separate student organizations to come together for a common goal and everyone on campus to show up and have fun rooting for our school.
