Owasso’s Ram Pride
By Katelyn Fisher
Friday night football games are a place where high schoolers can go to have fun and hang out with friends. Anyone, even if they don’t like sports, can enjoy the liveliness and chaos of the student section.
Like most student sections, Owasso has a variety of groups who come together to hype up the crowd and the football players. From the band to the cheer team, Owasso’s student section is filled with supporters, including one of our biggest football fans, Ethan Whittington. Whittington has made a name for himself by attending every single game, both home and away. He arrives decked out in his ram pride attire of football pads, face paint, a football helmet and occasionally a cowbell.
Whittington exclaims, “Go out there and have fun!”
Picture of Ethan Whittington taken by Ethan Whittington
Whittington describes himself as an Ultra Fan: someone who goes all out regardless of the opinions of others. Growing up, Whittington was always around family members who loved to get dressed up and have fun supporting their team. His grandfather, who was the first to expose him to this type of mindset, has been the inspiration for all this. The “go crazy” attitude that Whittington carries along to the games brings the crowd together in a fun and exciting way.
Whittington expresses, “Football holds a special place in my heart.”
Many people tend to overlook the dedication required to be a successful football team and only focus on whether they won or lost. However, Whittington has made the decision to support the Owasso Rams through all the highs and lows that come with playing the sport. Whittington feels that since the football players put in hours of hard work at practice, it is only fair that he put the same amount of effort into cheering them on.
“They put in the hard work,” Whittington explains. “I don't think everyone really appreciates that.”
While some find their passion for school spirit in family traditions, others become a part of it for the fun, social aspects. One of the other Ram pride groups at Owasso are the Herdsmen. The Herdsmen are a group of Owasso High School students who dress up in their Ram Pride overalls and face paint at every football game. They are tasked with keeping the energy high, getting the crowd excited and running the flags across the field after every touchdown.
Senior member of the Herdsmen, Mason Figeuora, explains, “You can either run the student section or you can run the flags, but it's mainly about hyping up the crowd.”
The Herdsmen and Whittington are two significant parts of what makes Friday night football games so fun and interesting. With their unique school spirit tactics that keep the crowd hyped and the energy high, they work together to create an eventful night full of memories for all high school students.