The lights shine down on the boisterous crowd. The air and anticipation stand still as the screaming friends, family members and opponents watch the ball get spotted, and each team takes its place. It’s third and nine, with the clock winding down, and amidst the anxiety and nervous silence, a voice pierces through the humid, sweaty air with the Niles West fight song.
“We’re loyal to you Niles West, go give ’em your best…”
There is no feeling like it.
Some pairings will always be better together. Bread and butter, salt and pepper, Joey and Chandler. The list goes on, but one pairing that very few can top is that of Friday night football and cheerleading. A frequently overlooked variable of the “Friday Night Lights” experience, the presence of cheerleaders on the sideline of a football game is one that can not be neglected. The simple fact is that the experience would not be have of what it is without the cheer team. Amping up the fans, providing exhilarating half-time performances and achieving incredible stunts are just a few of the incredible contributions provided to football game day by the cheer team.
“Having the cheer team there is awesome. It’s everything. I remember you could hear them on the sideline pumping up the crowd. Especially when you have a good crowd and they can get them [the crowd] going, it’s awesome,” Niles West football coach and PE teacher, Aaron Diggs said.
Introduced to the NFL for the first time in 1954, cheerleading has been a crucial part of football for generations. Not only at the professional level, but down to high school, and even further. In fact, many feeder football programs are accompanied by their own feeder cheer programs, showing how deeply ingrained the two are together.
“It was one of the most amazing experiences for me…and being able to pass on that feeling feels amazing. One of the reasons I became a coach is because I had such a love for cheer, and the experiences that I had with cheerleading,” head varsity cheer coach, Barbara Carabio said.
It is evident that the relationship between these two activities is deeply embedded in the culture at Niles West. At every home football game, the cheer team is present and just as involved as the players on the field. It goes without saying that this presence completely changes the atmosphere.
“The ‘Friday night lights’ experience is already one of its own, but with the cheer teams help, it creates an even more energetic environment, not just for the fans, but more specifically the players. With the ups and downs of football, it’s hard to stay positive, but with the cheer teams help, it gets us moving around faster and more confidently,” football player Brayden Kuffel said.
Not only do the supportive cheers change the atmosphere around the game, but they have a significant influence on the way the players play and coaches coach. The energy one feels from the support of their cheerleaders and their fans is something that not many get to experience.
There is really no reason to wonder why cheerleading and football are so closely connected when one looks at the influence they each have on each other. The symbiotic relationship between the two is one that can outlast generations, not to mention four quarters.
