The Allure of Texas High School Football

Even if you've never been to a Texas high schoolalmost one thousand miles.
football game, you probably know that theseSo, what is it exactly about Texas football in
games and the fans who follow them areparticular that seems to appeal to such a mass
somewhat different than other high school footballaudience? While there may be no definitive
games and fans. In Texas, football isn't a sportanswer for that question, there is definitely one
and it isn't an extra-curricular activity. No, it'scertainty: nothing else on earth has quite the
almost been elevated to the level of a religion. Tosame intensity and passion to it. You can feel it
say that Texas school football fans arereverberating in the air when you step into any
passionate about the spot would be anhigh school football stadium throughout the state.
understatement; a huge understatement.Football fans in Texas are not just passionate
Friday Night Lights may have been first a popularabout football; they live it and breathe it. On any
book and then a film but it all started with thegiven Friday night during football season in Texas
true story of one season with the Odessayou're likely to see just about as much violence in
Permian Panthers. Hollywood didn't need to pumpthe stands as you are on the turf if one fan
up the real life story of this Texas school teamhappens to aggravate another.
with fabrication; the real story was alreadyAnd that's not even mentioning the rivalry that
enough of a legend to carry it all the way to thecan take place between teams in Texas. While it's
silver screen.not uncommon at all for neighboring towns
If you think you know high school football, youthroughout the country to form high school
haven't seen anything until you've seen it fromfootball rivalries, Texans take it to a whole new
the Lone Star State. Even the smaller schoolslevel. In many cases, extra policeman have to be
really get involved. It's not uncommon to seecalled out during big rival games just to keep the
entire caravans traveling the Texas highways onpeace among the crowd. In a few instances,
Friday nights; the football team, drill team,some towns had to stop even playing one
cheerleaders, marching band and sponsor. All ofanother at all because of the violence that ensued
that can easily require a dozen buses or so. Andbetween fans in the stands and on the sidelines
that's not even including the hordes of parentsduring rival games.
and fans that travel right along with them. InThe exact allure of Texas football may be
relatively few other events will you see devotedsomewhat difficult to describe, but one thing is
fans travel hundreds of miles for a playoff game;certain: you feel it when you experience it.
and keep in mind that in Texas that's entirelyIf the rest of the world loves soccer, Texans
possible. The border from east to west stretcheslove football.