KATY MAGAZINE l SEPTEMBER 2019 By Jennifer Miko
Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!?! We've got important tips to help you get your head in the game.
Photo submitted by Kaylen Naegeli
1. Buying Tickets Check your school's website for instructions to purchase game tickets. The bleachers are tight, and fill up, so consider buying your tickets pre-sale on the campus. Season passes offer the print-at-home convenience and comfort of knowing you've got a seat. Parents of players, band members or students on the spirit squads should take advantage of this option. Tickets are available for purchase at the gate; but you run the risk of the game selling out, especially for rivalry games and homecoming.
2. Arriving Early
Football games are a big deal in Katy, and generations of families fill up the stadiums to cheer each weekend. Plan to arrive at least a half-hour early, and trek from your parking spot up to the gate. Fans enjoy watching the players warm up, and make their dramatic entrances onto the field.
IMPORTANT TIP: Check the school website ahead of time to determine whether your team is the "Home" or the "Visitor," and park accordingly.
3. FINDING YOUR SEAT
Before game time, map out where you'd like to sit, then hit the concessions stand for food and drinks, and be at your seat for the National Anthem.
IMPORTANT TIP: The bands and drill teams usually set up in the lower section near the 30 yard line, and the "student section" crowds together front and center by the 50-yard line. They stand for the whole game and cheer!
4. Showing Team Spirit Katy spirit wear isn't hard to find in this town, just look in your local grocery store. You can dress in your school colors from head to toe. Don't forget the pom-poms and giant #1 foam finger. Katy fans are true to their school, so make sure you're representing!
IMPORTANT TIP: If you couldn't find a t-shirt before the game, look for the booster clubs to be selling merchandise at the stadium.
5. Sharing Traditions
Each school has its songs, chants and traditions. Follow along, and soon you'll be swept up in the energy of the crowd.
6. Know YOUR PLAYERS
Read up on the teams before the game and support the booster clubs by investing in a program. And remember the names, because Katy players have moved on to do well on college and even NFL teams (Andy Dalton, Cullen Gillaspia, Rodney Anderson, to name a few).
7. WATCHING THE HALFTIME SHOW
Katy ISD's band, drill team, color guard and cheer squads have collected many awards over the years. These programs showcase the schools' talented young men and women who practice all summer and during the school year. Each week, audiences can enjoy a new routine, so make sure to support them and let them hear your cheer!
8. CARRYING A CLEAR BAG Katy ISD has initiated a Clear Bag Regulation for guest entering Rhodes and Legacy stadiums. The regulation limits the size and type of bag allowed. The following bags are permitted:
Clear, plastic, vinyl or PVC bags
Clear, plastic, one-gallon, re-sealable, Ziploc-style bags
Clutch bags approximately the size of a hand (4 ½” X 6 ½”)
Medically necessary items
IMPORTANT TIP: For more information click here.
9. BRAVING THE ELEMENTS Apply plenty of sunscreen and bug spray before entering the stadium. For extra comfort and protection, bring a hat, towel and a poncho (invest in the kind that fold up to the size of a deck of cards). Umbrellas are discouraged in the tight spaces of the bleachers.
10. Buying Concessions Outside food and drinks are not permitted inside the stadiums, but concessions are available in multiple locations. As an added bonus, patrons can purchase Chick-fil-A there too.
Visit katyisd.org and find the athletics page for more information on how to purchase tickets for the upcoming season.