Usually on Friday nights, the focus is only on the boys between the field goals. But new attention is being drawn to the boys on the sidelines–the ones sporting not only the familiar jerseys, but also jeans and cowboy boots.
The group of boys is made up of sophomore junior varsity players. The members are Daniel Ezell, Nico Franco, Aaron Henington, Jarred Newsom, Hayden Hill, Colton Nations, and Grant Ferguson.
The role of this small group of boys during a varsity game is to hold up signs that let the players on the field know what to do when the center hikes the ball.
“We stand by the coaches that call the signals out to the players.The players read our signs and know which way the ball is supposed to go and what package they are in,” said Hill
The attention is not coming from their holding up the signs, however. They are quickly becoming popular for their fashion statement: the jerseys, the jeans, and the boots. Coach Phimple, the wide receiver coach, came up with the name “Boot Boys”, and ever since then, that’s what they’ve been known as.
“We have to wear the jerseys, but we made it tradition to wear jeans and boots, too,” said Franco.
It doesn’t come as a surprise that this particular group of boys tends to dress like this all of the time, not just on Friday nights. Around school, all of them can usually be seen in the same famous jeans and cowboy boots, but instead of the jerseys, they wear button-ups or tee shirts. This is how they came up with the idea to coordinate and start the tradition.
“The first game, we decided to wear it and coach liked the idea of it so for the rest of the games, we dressed the same way,” said Hill.
That’s how they earned their reputation as the Boot Boys, and the nickname has been spreading not just throughout the team, but throughout the school. Teachers and students alike have been taking notice of these guys that seem to be starting a legend of their own.
“I’m sure this tradition will keep on going,” said Nations. These boys didn’t originally intend on making a statement by their wardrobe choices, it just happened that way. The reason that they are standing on the field every Friday night is because they are striving to get better in their football careers, even if it means holding up signs and calling plays to the boys in full pads.
“I’d rather be playing, but I like being down on the field by the coaches because we learn a lot,” said Franco.
Whether they mean to or not, this group of boys is turning heads on and off the field. Look out for them, dressed out and playing on Monday nights, and donning the famous jeans and boots, assuming their roles as the Boot Boys on Friday nights.