Joey Perkins and his herdsmen bring a new life to Owasso High School’s student section
By Reagan Rozzi
Photo of Joey Perkins (middle) taken by Cambry Shields
Fans flood the stadium, lights are flashing, the marching band plays a bass-heavy ballad and the team is revving up. It’s Friday night, the highlight of Owasso’s week. Students are dressed alike in heavily pigmented outfits, statement headgear and faces lathered in paint as they come together to cheer on the Owasso Rams football team. The crowd begins to chant a steady crescendo, led by a small group of teenage boys with striped overalls and blaring megaphones. At the center of the commotion is senior Joey Perkins, leader of the Owasso High School student section.
The idea came to Perkins in mid-July before the start of the 2023-24 school year. While the student section had always been a fun way to express school spirit, it lacked a true student-led team.
Perkins recalls, “I woke up one morning this summer…and just thought, ‘We need some structure.’”
Perkins approached his group of friends to discuss the idea. The boys agreed, and thus, “the herd and the herdsmen” were born. Currently, the group consists of eight seniors and two juniors. Their goal is to train the upcoming seniors thoroughly on various call-backs, touchdown traditions and crowd control in order to keep the tradition alive for future generations.
“It’s mostly [for] next year, [so that] they know what they’re doing so that they don’t have to re-jog their memories,” Perkins states.
This is not Perkins’ first time in a leadership position. He serves as this year’s Vice President of the Student Council as well as President of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Perkins also plays a part in numerous clubs, organizations and volunteer opportunities, all the while leaving time to be everyone’s best friend.
Because of the herdsmen’s busy schedules, it can be difficult to carry this energy to other sporting events; still, the group gives it their all to support each Ram team. When possible, Baseball games, volleyball matches and basketball tournaments are all attended with heightened enthusiasm from the posse. However, the best time to catch the herdsmen is every Friday night at a Rams football game.
Perkins looks forward to seeing classmates bond over their shared school spirit each weekend. Watching the athletes and the fans feed off of each other’s energy brings everyone together to form a heartwarming sight.
“You feel like you’re a part of the team out there,” Perkins shared, “They definitely feel like we thrive when we have a hype student section.”
While the creative idea has received attention from those who attend Owasso Public Schools, the Herdsmen have also received a small amount of media recognition. On September 29th of this year, Channel 6 News aired a segment over the high school’s homecoming pep rally. The group can also be spotted in the football introduction videos at the beginning of the games.
Increased morale, newfound friendships and overall thrilling experiences have been brought to life in the student section because of Perkins’s idea. Owasso students of all ages now leave each game with raspy voices and grins on their faces. Joey Perkins and his herdsmen have given new meaning to what it means to be a Ram, leaving an impactful legacy on the school for years to come.