Football is a sport enjoyed by the Gabrielino High School community and something I had never experienced until Sept. 16, the date of the home game against Pioneer High School.

   Journalism sent the least athletic and most nerdy person from the class to attend the football game, also known as myself. Since this would mark my first high school football game, I decided to have a close friend, junior Ava Doron, accompany me through the journey. I was greeted with the lively atmosphere directed at the home team. Chants such as, “T-A-K-E take away the team,” and “F-I-G-H-T fight, eagles, fight” were repeated continuously by the cheer team, creating excitement for the spectators. 

   Once the game started, the marching band performed intense music on the stands while Gabrielino players were attempting to score a touchdown.

   Sitting in the stands with ASB heightened my experience; their cheers influenced the Gabrielino side of the stands to have a sense of pride towards their team. When the first touchdown of the night happened, the stands went wild; the glimmer of hope towards the team shined. I observed the game carefully, attempting to understand the various plays along with interacting with my friend regarding the game situation. Pride truly never left the Gabrielino community regardless of the game status. 

   The concession stands located by the F building had various food options along with amazing parents who distributed the food. Some food choices included boba milk tea, chili hot dogs, ice cream, sodas, hamburgers, and more. It was my first experience of purchasing boba milk-tea, the sugar flavor was a bit strong but it jolted me to stay awake the rest of the evening.

   Along with watching the game, I had the duty of capturing photos of the cheerleaders and football team. Having the opportunity to take close-up shots of the players was a satisfying experience. Capturing a lot of action was involved in this task, and it was rewarding to have photos show the players’ sense of unity and teamwork. I observed close-up that the players had a strong will, which provided a sense of hope for Gabrielino’s football team. 

   Halftime was the most understandable segment of the game, it took no rocket scientist to infer what was going on. The extremely talented color guard and marching band delivered a swift and clean performance leaving me captivated by the entertainment. Their instruments and color guard flags shined which kept me fascinated, as it made their presence known on the vast field. 

   Once the game started up again, I began to do commentary with my friend as the game progressed, which was a perfect bonding moment. Accompanying our commentary, my sensitive eardrums were dying due to the nearby ASB members doing their chants. Do not get me wrong, it symbolized our school spirit never fading, but I was trying to comprehend the game since I have done zero to no research regarding the topic of football. 

  The Gabrielino section of the stands were full with peppy and supportive students cheering regardless of the team’s score. The resilience our home team had is reflective of the Gabrielino community. 

   I will be honest, I could not explain to you what was going on in the football game from a professional perspective. Though the home team did not win, team spirit was ignited in my heart. There is a high chance that I will attend another game, I was pleasantly surprised by my experience creating it to be unforgettable.