High school social life and how football influences it
February 10, 2023
Despite abundant media portrayals of football as the sport that all high schoolers’ lives revolve around, the influence the sport has on a student’s life varies. Not everyone is as interested in the sport itself as football players.
“I haven’t put it all together, but at the heart of it, what I’m trying to understand is how, despite all of the controversies surrounding the NFL and football, how is this sport still so tremendously popular, profitable, and culturally influential?” Montez de Oca said.
I haven’t put it all together, but at the heart of it, what I’m trying to understand is how, despite all of the controversies surrounding the NFL and football, how is this sport still so tremendously popular, profitable, and culturally influential? — Jeffrey Montez de Oca
A major factor in the heavy influence American football has today is the media. Consumption of popular TV shows and movies about football reinforces the cultural influence of football in America, especially in high school.
“There have been books written about Texas high school football culture, and TV shows like ‘Friday Night Lights’ have been in the cultural zeitgeist for decades. I know kids are talking about the show ‘All American.’ There are always shows where football is viewed or reproduced as a central feature of American high school life,” Manning said.
The history and longstanding tradition of “engaged students, spirited community” is ASB’s mission statement, and Kelly believes football season provides different opportunities for community activities and togetherness.
“Football is a very traditional thing. What you get with tradition is safety; people know what it is. Hundreds and hundreds of students sitting in the same space, doing the same thing. There’s social safety in numbers and tradition to the high school teenager. It’s a tried and true event,” Kelly said.
In addition to being a community-building event, the high energy of the crowd also helps the players through the longer pauses in the game.
“It definitely helps me play better. It just feels good. Whenever you do something well, whenever we score a touchdown, the crowd cheers. All the other guys on the team, including myself, we really enjoy it,” said Jack Wiessinger, a senior on the Carlmont varsity football team.
The spectators of a football game are not just passive crowd members; they take on their own role in cheering and supporting the football team, especially for Carlmont’s own cheer section, Screamin’ Scots.
“A lot of people just come to football games for the atmosphere. They come to scream and to yell, and to just have a good time and be with friends,” Vano said.
Students from other schools share similar sentiments about football in their school culture, yet the popularity of the sport varies across the country and in different schools.
“I think that football definitely can increase the social aspect of school, making it more enjoyable,” said Jeffrey Kwan, a junior currently attending Gunn High School. “However, our school is known to be quite rigorous, so some students stay home during football games to study.”
While the dedicated and passionate culture surrounding football can seem harmless, the real message the sport conveys is up for debate.
“What are we actually bonding around? Are we bonding around violence? Are we bonding around hypermasculinity? Or are we bonding around togetherness?” Manning said.
Whether it’s the sport itself or everything else it inspires in people, the sport remains ever-prominent in America’s culture as it continues to unite communities in their shared goal of rooting for their home team.