It’s rare when the question, “Where’d you go to high school?” says a lot about someone’s personality.
But in the Sun City, each institution has its traditions, backstories, and pride that fit into the distinctive characteristics of both the Borderland & American football.
And the time has finally come for El Paso to embrace Fridays by the sounds of a local school’s band playing tunes at the front entrance early in the morning, the smells of hot dogs, pickles, and nachos from the concession stands, and the long lines at Whataburger shortly after the night’s events.
High school football, or what it’s commonly referred to as, “Friday Night Lights,” is one of Texas’ greatest traditions in the state. It’s tightened community connections, garnered the attention of broadcasting networks, and created moments that will live in the hearts of young athletes, relatives, and alumni forever.
El Paso is part of this storied tradition, but where our city diverges is in the amount of depth and legend that each high school in the 915 holds.
With a total of 40 UIL football teams, the El Paso area is home to both lifelong rivalries like “The West Side Bowl” and matchups between nationally recruited superstars like Del Valle quarterback Jake Fette, or El Dorado running back Ryan Estrada.
Yet, there seems to be an unappealing taste in the mouths of those who recently graduated over supporting their old school.
And who can blame them? After all, there is a negative moniker placed on some that show up to a football game, or any other event from one’s former high school, and it’s called being a “super-senior.”
Let’s get one thing clear, rooting for your former high school this football season isn’t the same as barging into an old teacher’s classroom expecting them to remember you. It’s the opposite, since rooting for your former high school isn’t paying any attention to you, but it’s putting energy back into the community.
With more fans in the stands, rivalries like “The Battle of the Claw,” played between El Paso High & Austin, or “The Southside Bowl,” played between Jefferson & Bowie, can gain more traction.
Each of these rivalries and more have pages upon pages of story, the problem is that there’s a lack of energy from young sports fans to be passionate about said information because of a fear of irrational embarrassment.
Imagine if on a given Friday night, every stadium was sold out, with a ruckus crowd and a passionate fan base that seems like it was taken straight from EA College Football 25.
If that were the case, then El Paso would be more of a premier destination nation-wide for its high school culture.
And the truth is, in a city that almost has a population of 700K… we’re more than capable of making that fantasy a reality.
We’ll always have a small city feel in the 915. But that doesn’t mean every high school represents every culture our city has to offer, and the only reason it seems that way is because of the lack of support we the students give our former institutions after we dawn the cap and gown.
I’m not telling you to go get a visitors pass at your former high school, that’d be odd.
I’m motivating you to try and head out to a football game or two this season.
It might be corny, but your support towards your old high school is vital to add on to what should be one of the nation’s premier destinations to witness the beauty of Friday Night Lights.
Sebastian Perez-Navarro is a staff reporter and can be reached at [email protected]
