5 reasons we're excited that high school football is starting

HOUSTON – If you live in or grew up in a Friday Night Lights town, you know about the excitement that springs from the first Friday night of high school football season. 

If you don't know what all the fuss is about, let us enlighten you about the beauty of this tradition. 
Here are the five reasons we're excited that high school football is starting. 

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1. Community comradery
The community comes alive when football season starts. Whether you've got kids on the team, in the band, or in cheerleading, or you're a longtime fan in the stands, the high school stadium becomes a community center as the first kickoff approaches. You see people you grew up with (and dodge your first crush), meet new people and your kids' classmates' parents and cheer together for your home team. 

Share your high school football spirit photos here! 

2. The band
In some hometowns (like mine), the massive marching band is the main attraction to the Friday night games. The band plays and there's more than the sounds of bugs dying in the lights and the pained grunts of young men colliding on the field. The band highlights the highs and lows of the game, and always, always pushes toward victory, even when certain defeat looms. If you've got a great marching band and a mediocre football team, when the halftime show ends, half the stands clear out. But the band will play through to the end, playing off the victors and the defeated. 

3. Halftime show
There are many forms of entertainment in this world of ours, but a great halftime show remains one of the best that you can get if you love patriotic music, dancing, batons, instruments -- both big and small -- and fun formations comprised of people wearing amazing plumage.

4. Funny signs
The pen is mightier than the sword, as far as epic sign design goes for football games. Going after the competition with great signs in the stands is a time-honored tradition. Here are some of our favorites (from college ball).  

5. Football homecoming mum season is on its way
The first game means that the homecoming mum battle is on its way. Grab your glue gun, scissors and 16 bolts of ribbon because it is – on – y'all. Don't know what we mean? Go here for this amazing tutorial to crush your homecoming mum game this season.