By Emilee Davis-North Star Reporter Intern
It’s a cool and crisp Friday night in the heart of autumn. The lights above the field are bright and the scent of gametime snacks wafts through the air. All anyone in the vicinity of Community Field will be able to hear is the roar of the fans.
The excitement, suspense, intensity, and anticipation of the outcome are just some of the feelings fans experience at the Red Rocketeers football. Their shouts and cheers carry across the field as they root on their team. But what does it mean to be a fan?
Patricia Robin, a mother of two boys, started going to games because of her sons, but then ended up finding something else to love about football.
“I have two sons that play football and love the sense of community,” said Robin.
Robin is not the only fan who has a personal connection with one of the players. Kelly Salvesen has been a fan of North for years, but this year is special for her because it is her godson’s last year on the team.
When asked if she’s had any memorable experiences with North football she replied with, “I think this season because he’s a senior and he makes a lot of good plays, tackles, and all that and it’s really fun to watch him.”
Lori-Jo and Lenny Wahl also have a personal connection with the team, as their grandson is the quarterback. They haven’t always been going to varsity games, but they have always gone to his.
“We go to all of them [games] and we’ve been going ever since he was younger,” said Lori-Jo.
Lori-Jo and Lenny also shared what game was memorable for them.
“The last game was really memorable,” said Lori-Jo. “They won in overtime and our grandson threw the winning touchdown.”
Robin said something similar, “My most memorable game was watching my son score his first touchdown.”
Parents aren’t the only ones who have been watching North football for years, as even some students have been watching this team long before they entered NAHS.
“I’ve been going to games since I was little and yeah, I’ve just been a fan for years,” said Arianna McDavitt, a sophomore at NAHS.
Some students became fans through the school’s rowdy crowd, which is students going to games each week and cheering on the team while also dressing up for different themes. This was the case for Kalynne Pion (sophomore) who when asked how she became a fan said, “The rowdy crowd, honestly. Seeing everyone together is just a really good thing to see.”
Nick Morse, a recent graduate of NAHS, still tries to find time to come to the games despite now being in college.
“Football has always been a major passion in my life,” said Morse. “I grew up at Community Field playing Pop Warner and then attending the high school games during my four years at NAHS…Now in college, I do not make it back to many weekly games, but I always try to make an appearance at Community Field to take in a football game under a great atmosphere.”
Lisa Giuliano, one of the assistant principals of NAHS, went to her first North football game on Sept. 30, and had nothing but enthusiasm to express over the fans of this team.
“I’ve never seen fans like this, they’re commitment, and they’re volume, and they’re dedication,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything like this and it’s exciting.”
