Students support their football team by showing up to games from beginning to end, cheering on, and calling out chants to encourage their teammates. These students enjoy dressing up based on themes and helping their team win.
Senior Ani Koontz likes the ability to yell as loud as she wants for the shared cause of team spirit with students and friends around her. Chants are always fun because the whole student section gets to yell and call out chants.
“One we instituted this year and stole from Bethel College, is “WE LOVE OUR TEAM,” Koontz said. “I love it because it focuses on the positive and we can say it even when our football team is doing badly. I also love it because it’s short, simple, and loud.”
Koontz attends all games and believes every high school student should be involved in the student section.
“[The student section] connects people with others in your school. It creates a community of team spirit and positive engagement with Newton High School. It also shows support for the football team, and we need it. I also think it’s important to show up to different sports’ student sections because it also shows support to those teams,” Koontz said.
Koontz likes to go to the games with her friends. She’s recently been standing by Tatum Sudermen, Emma Pfannenstiel, and Brooklyn Bailey.
She’ll go with her volleyball friends when she has to go straight from volleyball practice. Koontz goes full out in the dress-up themes making sure to participate with the students.
“My favorite dress-up theme is pink out because it shows support for an important cause. Also pink is a very pretty color so it’s fun to see everyone being pretty in pink,” she said.
Senior Izzy Rowe loves to hear everyone cheer together and see everyone dress up and support the school because it shows the love and support in the Railer community. Students should show up not only to football games but to all sporting events.
“[Students should] be involved in the student section because it helps fundraise for the team and again shows support for our community,” Rowe said.
Rowe tries her best to attend all football games, but sometimes she has work on Fridays and can’t make it on time. She always makes sure to show up even if she’s a few minutes late. While being late to some games she makes sure to dress up according to the themes.
“My favorite dress-up theme is the USA because everyone goes all out and it’s just super fun,” said Rowe.
Rowe likes to go to these games with her best friend and yell chants to show support to the students.
“My favorite chant is “WE LOVE OUR TEAM” because it spreads positivity and I do love my team,” Rowe said.
Senior Tatum Suderman enjoys dressing up for the themes and cheering on her classmates and friends who attend the varsity football games. Suderman makes an appearance in all games, yet she doesn’t quite coordinate with a group of people. She’ll find her friends there and then stand next to whoever is on the railing. Suderman makes sure she dresses up according to all themes appropriately.
“My favorite theme is either going to be Railer Pride, because I’ll get to wear my Fred Becker t-shirt or the Halloween theme because everyone will be dressed up differently. Plus, I just love Halloween,” Suderman said.
Suderman likes the “Do It” chant because it’s the best way to create a competition between the grades, and ends with everyone one more time altogether. She believes that all NHS students should be a part of the high school experience.
“Even if you don’t like football it’s a good chance to hang out with your friends. It’s also a great chance for each class to earn COTY points if you want the grand prize at the end of the year,” Suderman said.
